Dumbo NYC

Today’s Living In article in the real estate section of NY Times features Dumbo. You can read the article yourself, but here are a few descriptions of Dumbo from the article:

• “one of the most expensive and sought-after loft districts in New York“
• on Dumbo life: “there is life on nearly every corner, with strollers and bicycles bumping along the Belgian-block streets, and aromas of eggs Florentine and shiitake mushroom ravioli spilling onto the sidewalks”
• on New Developments: “Each tower [J Condo and Beacon Tower] is almost complete, and sales have already begun, with most unit prices beginning a hair under $1 million and edging upward.”
• Commercial: “Though consumer-friendly commercial activity was difficult to find a few years ago, small businesses have emerged all over the neighborhood.”
• Real Estate: “prices per square foot depend on the views. “I’ve sold way above $1,200 a square foot,” Ms. Heyman said, adding, “It’s about the view.””
• Rentals: “Rentals in Dumbo are hard to find. One-bedrooms can rent for as much as $5,000 per month; there is very little available under $2,000.”
• Eats: “Restaurants, like Superfine on Front Street and Bubby’s at the base of the Clocktower building, keep appearing, as do stores like P. S. Bookshop on Front Street”
• Schools: “Dumbo itself has no schools; many parents send their children to the private and public schools of nearby Brooklyn Heights. At Public School 8 on Hicks Street in 2004-2005, 54.8 percent of students met standards in state and city English language arts tests, versus 60.9 percent citywide; 68.5 percent did so in mathematics, versus 65.1 percent citywide.”
• History: “The names of Dumbo’s streets (Main, Front, Water) reflect its beginnings as a commercial downtown for Brooklyn, starting in the 1600’s.”
• Likes: “A walk through Dumbo is like none other in New York City; without looking at the baby clothing and natural food stores, the near-perfect preservation of its houses of manufacturing and unrivaled waterfront views are highly compelling.”

And residential properties mentioned in the article:

• 1 Main Street (Clocktower)
• 30 Main Street (Sweeney Building)
• 70 Washington Street
• 85 Adams Street (Beacon Tower)
• 100 Jay Street (J Condo)
• 84 Front Street (The Nexus)

Finally the article mentions at the end that a few small markets may not be enough for staples; “a full-scale grocery store is needed. A supermarket, anyone?” As the informative Peter Hyman reported earlier, a Whole Foods supermarket isn’t coming to Dumbo.

{Living In | Dumbo, Brooklyn: From Afterthought to Sought-After, NY Times, October 22, 2006}