The Brooklyn Army Terminal Power Station

Combining Structure from Motion Modeling and Maps

Diedre Brown, dab633@nyu.edu

April 1, 2022

Drone aerial photograph of the Brooklyn Army Terminal Power Station.

Location of the Brooklyn Army Terminal in Brooklyn, NY.

Brooklyn Army Terminal (BAT) History

Cass Gilbert (architect of the Woolworth Building and United States Supreme Court Building) designed the 95 acre (38 ha) complex built from May 1918 - September 1919 as a United States military supply base. At the time of construction, it was the world’s largest reinforced poured concrete structure (About BAT, n.d.).

BAT was built as a solution to a military supply problem–how to get millions of tons of war supplies and personnel from the rest of the country shipped out to the frontlines (Brooklyn Army Terminal Tours, n.d.). Irving T. Bush had successfully devised an intermodal shipping, warehousing, and manufacturing complex two decades before with Bush Terminal/Industry City (1892-1925), and served as an advisor on the development of BAT.

Drone aerial photograph looking south-south-east of the Brooklyn Army Terminal. Sunset Park, Brooklyn, NY — An aerial photograph of the Brooklyn Army Terminal taken by drone. Diedre Brown, 2022.

Timeline

This brief timeline illustrates the history of BAT from 1919 to present day.

This photograph shows the main entrance of the Brooklyn Army Terminal on a sunny day.

September 1919

BAT Opens

Interwar Period

BAT is a dock, military prison, and storage space for confiscated drugs and alcohol during Prohibition.

WWII Era

BAT is the largest military supply base in the United States.

1964

The US DoD announces plans to close BAT, Fort Jay, and the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Only BAT was closed in 1967.

1980s-00s

NYC purchases BAT. Renovations, NYCEDC leases properties for industrial tenants, NYPD K9 and marine units, and the docks for parking.

2010s

Renovations continue. NYCEDC leases for commercial and light industrial use. Public programming implemented. The NYC Ferry Stop arrives.

2020-2022

Mega-site for COVID-19 testing and vaccinations.

This Project

Digital Surface Models (DSM) from photographs are a great way to create virtual in situ models. These models can then be used to measure all types of metrics in relation to a building's actual size and shape. This project explores the creation of the DSM from drone photography of the eight storey Brooklyn Army Terminal Power Station.

The Brooklyn Army Terminal Power Station in relation to the main entrance of BAT.

101 images out of 133 collected images were used to create the point cloud. — While two separate models, one for 18 March (17 images) and 19 March (25 images), were attempted, both days lacked enough images were taken to form a complete mesh for a topographic DEM. However, when these images were combined with 91 additional images taken on 20 March, 101 of these images were enough to provide a more detailed dense cloud (seen above).

North East view of point cloud model. — While two separate models, one for 18 March (17 images) and 19 March (25 images), were attempted, both days lacked enough images were taken to form a complete mesh for a topographic DEM. However, when these images were combined with 91 additional images taken on 20 March, 101 of these images were enough to provide a more detailed dense cloud (seen above).

BAT Power Station DEM created in AgiSoft Metashape Pro and QGIS by Diedre Brown, 2022.

Visit

Are you interested in visiting the Brooklyn Army Terminal ? BAT is open to the public daily. The map below will show you how to access BAT via subway, bus, or the NYC Ferry. Also, twice monthly 2-hour walking tours are available through Turnstile Tours .

Visitor's Directions to Brooklyn Army Terminal

References

About BAT. (n.d.). Brooklyn Army Terminal. Retrieved March 20, 2022, from https://brooklynarmyterminal.com/about

Brooklyn Army Terminal Tours. (n.d.). Turnstile Tours. Retrieved March 20, 2022, from https://turnstiletours.com/tours/brooklyn-army-terminal-tours/