Refinery at Domino signs first retail lease with Saga Hospitality Group

Brooklyn, NY According to Two Trees Management, Saga Hospitality Group (SHG), owned and operated by chef James Kent and SC Holdings, signed a 3,000 s/f restaurant lease for its location on the ground floor of the Refinery at Domino. The space will serve as a bakery and daytime restaurant and is slated to open in late 2024.

The project is a showcase for executive pastry chef Renata Ameni’s viennoiserie and other baked goods including brioche and croissants, cookies and danish. During lunchtime, Ameni will offer a menu of salads and sandwiches. Ameni will also serve the ice cream for which she’s become known – composed dishes with multiple components more akin to sundaes – through a window facing Domino Park. The ground floor of the Refinery at Domino will be open and accessible to the public from Domino Park.

“We are thrilled to welcome Saga Hospitality Group and chef Renata Ameni to the Refinery,” said Bonnie Campbell, principal of Two Trees Management. “The Williamsburg waterfront is one of the city’s most compelling new culinary destinations, and we have no doubt that this exciting new bakery concept will quickly become a favorite of our tenants, local residents, and visitors to Domino Park.”

Constructed in 1884, the Domino Sugar Refinery was once the largest sugar manufacturing producer in the world. Two Trees Management purchased the landmarked building in October 2012 and began executing its plan to revitalize the site while still embracing the architecture of the original structures. Redesigned by Practice for Architecture and Urbanism, the Refinery at Domino is a 15-story, 460,000 s/f class A office building offering an unrivaled opportunity to top companies seeking a one-of-a-kind experience for their employees. Office tenants who have already signed leases include Whop, a digital marketplace, Skylight, venue development firm, and an independent creator. Equinox will open a 42,000 s/f gym on the ground floor later this year. The Refinery, composed of a modern glass office tower within a historic facade, celebrated its grand opening in fall 2023.

“I could not be more excited for our first bakery – and the first project with Renata as headliner and partner – to be on the Williamsburg waterfront,” said Saga Hospitality Group managing partner James Kent.

“I’ve been working in restaurant kitchens for years, and I’ve always dreamt of operating a proper bakery to serve pastries and ice creams,” said Renata Ameni. “It feels quite fitting that my sweets shop would be in what was once a Domino Sugar Factory.”

The restaurant lease is emblematic of Two Trees’ effort to redevelop the 11-acre Domino Sugar Factory site north of the Williamsburg Bridge into a mixed-use neighborhood complete with office and residential space, culinary offerings, retail, arts and culture, and programmed public parks. The new bakery and restaurant by SHG will add to the culinary scene along the waterfront, which is  home to Tacocina at Domino Park, Roberta’s, Misi by Misi Robbins, Other Half Brewing Domino Park and Two Hands.

The opening of the Refinery in 2023 was the latest in a series of major openings at the historic site by Two Trees, including the now fully-leased 10 Grand St. in 2020, One South First in 2019, Domino Park in June 2018, and 325 Kent in 2017. Throughout the long-term planning process, Two Trees has prioritized design and architecture, community input, sustainability, and waterfront connectivity.