Dumbo NYC

After dinner at Grimaldi’s the other night, we noticed a sale sign at 11-15 Old Fulton Street (Between Water and Front Street). I’ve always wondered about them… three vacant townhouses between Grimaldi’s Pizza and Fulton Ferry. According to the realtor Massey Knakal, the owners are selling the properties for $7.5million. It’s a highly visible location with great “potential for condominium conversion or mixed-use rental”. From Massey Knakal:

“Vacant 4 story 21,716 sq ft walkup mixed-use building with proposed plans for 24,812 saleable sq ft. The property will be delivered with Landmarked approval’s to convert the existing buildings to residential apartments and add fifth floor penthouse suites, and retail on the ground floor and basement Located in the landmark district of DUMBO Current C of O of existing building is for residential use & commercial use Highly visible location with 72 feet of frontage on Old Fulton Street. Great potential for condominium conversion or mixed-use rental. Walk to 2 and 3 trains at Clark Street, the A and C trains at High Street, buses, and a few blocks from entrance to pedestrian path on the Brooklyn Bridge. Blocks from Brooklyn Bridge Park and close to all restaurants and shopping in Brooklyn Heights. Asking Price: $7,500,000″

This could be a great opportunity to own a piece of historic property under the Brooklyn Bridge. But is the asking price too high? Any developers out there?

{Massey Knakal Realty}

 
70 Washington Street, Dumbo Brooklyn, 12/2006

Previously:
{New 70 Washington Street Website}
{Helen Brough’s “Emulated Flora” at 70 Washington St.}

 
Blogger ltjbukem has an eye opening post (as they often do) on price increases at Bridgeview Tower of approx 20%. Excuse my skepticism, but what the heck kind of strategy is that at a time of real estate price ‘correction’? The building is new construction, but how will the developer (or is it the broker) sell at these prices when there are many other new construction buildings in better areas? They’ll need to do more than to categorize this building as part of Brooklyn Heights or hang a banner on the building that says “If you lived here, you’d be home by now”.

• $985,210 with $740/maint, $40 tax ($860/sq.ft) for a 1145 sq.ft. 2 bed, 2 bath
• $680,250 with $509/maint, $29 tax ($858/sq.ft) for a 793 sq.ft. 2 bed, 2 bath
• $631,480 with $474/maint, $25 tax ($862/sq.ft) for a 733 sq.ft. 1 bed, 1.5 bath
• $618,770 with $449/maint, $24 tax ($889/sq.ft) for a 696 sq.ft. 0 bed, 1 bath

{New strategy @ Bridgeview Tower at 189 Bridge St., set speed aka onehansonplace.com}
{Bridgeview Tower Development Update (10/25/06), DumboNYC}

An article from The New York Sun discusses that while we have seen some unfortunate downfall of established independent NYC bookstores, there are new ones opening up, some in Brooklyn. Dumbo Brooklyn based powerHouse Books is featured as one of five independent bookstores that opened in the last several months:

In 1995, Daniel Power began powerHouse Books, which publishes high-end photography books, often with a touch of product placement. Along with collections by respected photographers, such as Larry Fink and Joseph Rodriguez, powerHouse has published a book about jeans that features a back-cover ad from the Gap, and a book about weddings with an ad from De Beers.

Last spring, when the publisher lost the lease on its previous, much smaller location in Hudson Square, Mr. Power, 44, saw it as an opportunity to stretch the limits of his company. “It inspired us to think on different levels,” he said. The new space, in DUMBO, just off the East River, was coined the powerHouse Arena. Open since October, it boasts 10,000 square feet, with 25-foot ceilings and windows galore. It will serve as both a bookstore and a multipurpose event space, accommodating 500 people for art exhibits, dance performances, and film screenings. The company has also recently started an eponymous magazine, and is considering adding a bar to the store. “I want to make it a culture space, a destination,” Mr. Power said. “The new building has the ‘wow’ factor.”

The store is currently promoting “Disco Years,” a 200-page photo book by Ron Galella that chronicles the 1970s New York club scene. Shoppers can purchase the book, for $65, as well as any of the dozens of photographs from the era, which are displayed on the store’s walls. A 1977 black-andwhite shot of Studio 54 by Mr. Fink goes for $3,000.

While Powerhouse has been open since November, they have been actively involved in community events and has hosted several event programming.

{Booksellers Fight Back As 5 New Stores Open, The New York Sun, 1/15/07}
{While some famed NYC booksellers close, new stores open, Newsday, 1/15/07}

Previously on DumboNYC.com:
{Meet the PowerHouse Arena staff 11/11, DumboNYC.com}
{powerHouse Event: Human Spare Parts, 11/10 and 11/11, DumboNYC.com}
{PowerHouse Arena’s No Sleep ’til Brooklyn This Weekend, DumboNYC.com}

 Corner of Plymouth and Jay Street, Dumbo, Brooklyn NY (Photo courtesy of shaw_patric)

1)What: Free Story Hour for Kids at P.S. Bookshop
When: every Sunday from 4 to 5pm
Where: P.S. Bookshop, 145-A Front Street (between Pearl & Jay Streets), Brooklyn 11201, 718 222-3340

Details: Free story hour with songs & play every Sunday from 4 to 5pm at P.S. Bookshop in Dumbo starting this Sunday – January 14th. Moms, dads and other adults are welcome to read their favorite stories & sing their favorite songs as well.

In addition, if you or your child care provider need a warm child-friendly place to hang out with your child on any day, feel free to drop by P.S. Bookshop any time. – regular hours are 10am to 8pm 7 days per week.

Previously:
{P.S. Bookshop Opens in Dumbo, DumboNYC.com}

2)What: Half Pint Winter Clearance & Resort Sale
When: Saturday January 11th-31st
Where: Half Pint, 55 Washington Street, (corner of Washington & Water) Brooklyn 11201

Details: Half Pint’s Winter Clearance/Resort Sale starts this Saturday, January 11th. Winter clothing, shoes, and select resort wear are 20-80% off the original price. Stop in, find great bargains, and discover why TimeOut NY Kids hailed us the hippest kids clothing store in New York City!

Brownstoner featured this 1 bedroom condo on 85 Hudson Avenue in Vinegar Hill. I walk by it often and wondered about the interior. I’m a big fan of the quiet street and relatively untouched neighborhood. But for $599,000 (816sq.ft., 1bed, 1bath, $271maint, $11 tax), you have to love the area. As some commenters said, it’s not very far from the York Street Station (F). The other benefit is that it’s close to Admiral’s Row in Brooklyn Navy Yard, as long as the row isn’t torn down to build a mega grocery store.

{Condo of the Day: 85 Hudson Avenue, Brownstoner, 1/11/07}
{Corcoran Listing, Apt 2B}

As seen from the Dumbo Improvement District:

Calling All DUMBO Artists: proJect DUMBO

“J Condo, is working with the DUMBO Arts Center to host the proJect DUMBO competition to choose the art hung throughout the building.

Open exclusively to DUMBO artists, proJect Dumbo is seeking submissions for three separate wall spaces. All mediums and styles are accepted, and recent work is welcome.

Finalists to be chosen by a panel, and the winners will be voted on by the future residents of the building. The total cash prizes of $16,000 will be announced at a grand celebration in March.

Submissions must be received by February 16th. For specific details, rules, spaces and deadlines, visit www.jcondo.com/projectdumbo.”

Artists, you have just over a month to submit your ideas! Kudos to J Condo for featuring local artists in their space. David Walentas seems to have started this by featuring artists in his buildings, including Helen Brough’s installation at 70 Washington Street building. The difference is that residents of J Condo get to choose the winning art installations. It will be interesting to see the final picks by the residents.

{proJectDUMBO details}

Event: Touching Distance; Impressions of Brooklyn
Time/Date: Thursday, January 11, 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Location: Superfine, 126 Front Street, Dumbo Brooklyn

Go see Steven Rosen’s first solo show at Superfine (126 Front Street, Dumbo Brooklyn).

He will be showing photographs of Brooklyn neighborhoods, including Dumbo, Coney Island, Prospect Park and the Heights. The show is opening on January 11th from 6 to 9pm, and runs through February 4th. If you’d like to see the work that will be shown, you can visit his site at:
www.stevenrosenphotography.com
and click on “Current Shows”.

 Image courtesy of jenrock

The Lonely Planet has named Brooklyn one of the top ten destinations in their 2007 “Blue List,” which highlights the best in worldwide travel:

“Drawing on the knowledge, passion and miles travelled by the Lonely Planet community of authors, staff and travellers, and covering every country in the world, this year’s edition is a selection of the best places to go and things to do all around the world right now.”

The NY Daily News says that the book cites “its multiethnic character and multiplying number of trendy neighborhoods, the book lauded the borough as “the hippest part of New York City.”

I think the draw is the multicultural neighborhoods and hip independent restaurants, bars, boutique shops, that are being slowly replaced by the “mallification” of Manhattan. There are great places to visit in this world, but it’s not surprising to see Brooklyn as a destination. As the street signs says, Brooklyn is “like no other place in the world”.

 Image courtesy of oliverlamb

{Lonely Planet: Bluelist 2007}
{Brooklyn Makes Lonely Planet List Of Top “Must-See” Destinations, NY1}
{Brooklyn’s the REAL vacation hot spot, Daily News}
{Brooklyn Now a Tourist Trap, Officially, NYMag.com}