Maspeth Avenue Holders (Also known as Greenpoint Gas Holders, Keyspan Gas Holders or Brooklyn Union Gas Holders) were a pair of 400-foot tall twin natural gas holders located on Maspeth Avenue in the Greenpoint neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York.[1] They were the tallest of their kind when constructed, until their demolition in 2001.[2][3][4][5]
| Maspeth Avenue Holders | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Location | Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York City, New York |
| Coordinates | 40°43′7″N 73°56′2″W / 40.71861°N 73.93389°W |
| Completed |
|
| Demolished | July 15, 2001 |
| Owner | Keyspan |
| Height | 400 ft (121.92 m) |
| Design and construction | |
| Main contractor | Brooklyn Union Gas |
History
editThe gas holders were built by Brooklyn Union Gas, the first of them, Maspeth Gas Holder No. 1 was constructed in 1927 [6][7], followed by its twin, Maspeth Gas Holder No. 2, which was constructed in 1948.[8][9] The top portions of both structures had a red and white checkered paint-scheme as instructed by the FAA to prevent airplane collisions.[10]
Both gas holders fell into disuse by the 1990s respectively, as Maspeth Gas Holder No. 1 decommissioned in 1992, and Maspeth Gas Holder No. 2 decommissioned in 1997.[11]
Demolition
editIn April 2001, Keyspan received a permit to implode the tanks from the city of Department of Buildings. In June 2001, company officials announced the demolition plans at a community board meeting, and met with neighborhood groups on July 11, to inform them as to what precautions were being taken to prevent lead dust in the surrounding area.[2][12]
On July 15, 2001 at 7:00 AM, the two gas holders were both imploded with 750 pounds of explosives, by main contractor Mercer Wrecking Recycling Corp. of Trenton, New Jersey and subcontractor Controlled Demolition, Inc.[13][11][12][5][13][4]
References
edit- ^ "Maspeth Gas Holders". www.emporis.com. Archived from the original on 2022-01-02.
- ^ a b "The Tanks Came Tumbling Down". Queens Gazette. July 18, 2001.
- ^ Tutton, Robert (May 20, 2015). "Remembering Brooklyn's Maspeth Holders, Demolished in 2001". Curbed NY.
- ^ a b "Vault: Iconic Greenpoint Gas Tanks imploded in 2001". ABC7 New York. July 27, 2021.
- ^ a b "Brooklyn Loses Greenpoint Tanks". The New York Times. Associated Press. 2001-07-15.
- ^ "Keyspan Gas Holder No.1, New York City". SkyscraperPage.com.
- ^ "Maspeth Gas Holder 1, New York City". www.emporis.com. Archived from the original on 2022-01-02.
- ^ "Drawings of Keyspan Gas Holder No.2". SkyscraperPage.com.
- ^ "Maspeth Gas Holder 2, New York City". www.emporis.com. Archived from the original on 2022-01-02.
- ^ "Implosion of Maspeth Holders - Digital Collections". Brooklyn Public Library.
- ^ a b "More Photos of Keyspan Gas Holders Implosion". legacy.phillyblast.com.
- ^ a b Newman, Andy (2001-07-09). "Last Days for Brooklyn's Giants; Twin Tanks Carry a Love-Hate Reputation to the End". The New York Times.
- ^ a b "KeySpan Energy Gas Holders". Controlled Demolition Inc.