First Avenue, 51st - 58th Streets
Bush Terminal on the north and the Brooklyn Army Terminal on the south is separated by seven blocks of active waterfront.
5200 1st Avenue is an abandoned warehouse on the southwest corner of at 52nd Street. It is perhaps most memorable for the unique script of the 1892 date marker on its imposing eastern wall. Interestingly, the western half of the warehouse appears to be maintained and used as studios.
Enticingly, 53rd Street west of 1st Avenue is named "Whale Square", which seems to imply some kind of relationship to New York's long defunct whaling industry. However, a NY Times report from March of 2007 indicated that the street was renamed by the Whale Oil Company, a fuel oil distributor that built an office on the waterfront in 1948. The company was later acquired by Standard Oil, although the fuel oil depot seems to still be quite active (and unbranded).

5200 1st Avenue

5200 1st Avenue

5200 1st Avenue

5200 1st Avenue

5200 1st Avenue

Loose brick at perimeter

North wall

Decaying roof and dormer

North wall

Bricked-in window arches

Generator sign

Eastern wall

88 52nd Street

Western wall

View from the northwest

Transition between used and derelict portion of warehouse

Transition between used and derelict portion of warehouse

52nd Street

Clem Snacks, 29 53rd St

Exposed cobblestones on 52nd Street

Department of Sanitation Garage (Brooklyn District 7): 5100 1st Avenue at 52nd Street

Department of Sanitation Garage

First Ave. viewed from the harbor

Fuel Oil terminal - First Avenue between 53rd and 54th Streets

Fuel Oil terminal - First Avenue between 53rd and 54th Streets

Fuel Oil terminal - First Avenue between 53rd and 54th Streets

Fuel Oil terminal - First Avenue between 53rd and 54th Streets

Fuel Oil terminal - First Avenue between 53rd and 54th Streets

Fuel Oil terminal - First Avenue between 53rd and 54th Streets

Spur into Louis Food Service off First Avenue

Spur into Louis Food Service off First Avenue

Track running down First Avenue south to the Army Terminal

Waterfront warehouse guarded gate at 56th Street off First Avenue

Waterfront warehouse guarded gate at 56th Street off First Avenue

Piers viewed from the south on Pier 4