DUMBO Water Tower

Water tower in DUMBO. I like water towers, and kept wanting to draw them, but you're always viewing them from far below. I kept seeing this one, close to and on level with the Manhattan Bridge, from the subway. So I walked up the north path of the bridge, which is a narrow bike lane where I wasn't supposed to be. But it put me right in front of the structure.

Water towers are one of the signature traits of the New York skyline. They're everywhere, and though they look like relics, they're actually in use. In the 1880s, New York City mandated that buildings taller than six stories be equipped with a water tank. The tanks use gravity to supply water pressure to the floors below, and they are often constructed of wood rather than steel due to cost, superior insulation, and less maintenance.

There are two remaining companies that construct all of NYC's water towers, Rosenwach Tank Company and Isseks Brothers, both founded in the 18902 and still family owned. This one was built by Rosenwach; you can tell by the rosette on top that is shaped like a double-R.