The Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower’s marble-lined banking hall has sat empty for years, serving as the occasional backdrop for films or runway shows. The Brooklyn skyscraper was completed in 1929 and designed by Halsey, McCormack & Helmer.
Today, the tower at One Hanson Place is largely occupied by condos. Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment (BSE), owner of the Barclays Center, has entered into an agreement with Casa Tua, a Miami-based hospitality brand, to transform the former banking hall into an elevated food and beverage court.
Renderings courtesy of Casa Tua Cocina show the historic space’s interior intact, albeit fitted with new furniture and bar accoutrement. Large trees will flank the bar area.
BSE purchased the ground floor, mezzanine, and basement of One Hanson Place in 2024. A project architect for the hall’s renovation hasn’t been named, but BSE affirms the space will have a large central bar area and lounge. Private dining and special event spaces will be on the lower level.
Casa Tua Cucina will have massive amounts of foot traffic thanks to its proximity to the Barclays Center, and also Atlantic Terminal. It will offer “theatrical open kitchens, lively aperitivo bars, and curated fine goods market,” BSE said in a press release.
For BSE, activating the space at One Hanson Place is about extending “beyond the arena walls” of the Barclays.
“One Hanson Place is a remarkable, historic setting, and with Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment, we share a clear vision for how to approach it: with the utmost respect for the landmark building, the neighborhood, and the people who will bring it to life every day,” said Casa Tua cofounder Miky Grendene.
The specific hospitality, dining, and experiential offerings coming to One Hanson Place will be announced at a later date, BSE said.
The space is set to open in 2027. Surely the population flux from new high-rises in downtown Brooklyn by Beyer Blinder Belle, Alloy Development, Studio Gang, and newer ones now coming online by TenBerke will fuel Casa Tua Cucina’s patronage.
More details about the design will come in the next few months.