As the Gowanus Canal became the commercial shipping epicenter of New York City, many industrialists took advantage of this by building facilities in close proximity to the waterway. Among these was carpenter James Dykeman, who built this wooden box factory on the corner of Union and Nevins in 1880. Called The National Box Factory, Dykeman’s business saw great success until 1936, when the proliferation of corrugated cardboard boxes for shipping ultimately led him to bankruptcy. 

In the decades following the demise of The National Box Factory, 543 Union was used for cabinet and brass manufacturing. 

This building is now an artist-owned live-work space.