Dumbo NYC

Notes from the DUMBO, Brooklyn NY neighborhood


84 Front Street Retail Space Rumors

November 16th, 2007

The 84 Front Street building retail space sits un-leased. There are two prime spaces on Front Street between Washington Street and Adams Street. A reader wrote in:

…I was walking by 84 Front street and saw some construction going on in the store front space. After talking to the doorman in that building it sounds like Citibank ATMs are going into that space. He also speculated that a UPS store was going in the other half of the space…

I’d prefer not to have ATMs and a UPS store in those spaces. There’s already a Copyrite (mycopyrite.com) at 45 Washington Street where you can ship your packages, and a Chase branch (136 Front Street at Jay Street) joined Sovereign Bank (40 Washington Street) in the neighborhood. I’m hoping for more food choices (if those spaces accommodate it) or for the smaller location, how about a late night Vietnamese or Italian-style sandwich bar/counter? If you’ve been to Florence, Italy, you’ve seen I Fratellini, a tiny counter where you can get a great sandwich with prosecco or wine while standing in the street. How about something like that?


(Photo courtesy of Cam and Gail)

What would you like to see there?

Filed in Dumbo Retail and Businesses, Front Street at 10:33 am
Comments
  • T bone
    Hey Dumbonyc- I am so glad you posted about the nature of some comments. I have spent the past two weeks NOT reading this blog because of the rudeness and name calling. It was actually starting to bother me that "neighbors" would speak to each other this way (even "anonymously"). I know, I know- I admit I am too sensitive and probably naive, but I can't help it. Obviously, some posts are meant as jokes, but some cross the line. I came back today because I really missed being up-to-date on the neighborhood happenings. I am glad you are discouraging this type of posting. And I'm glad to be back!
  • And comments aren't necessarily anonymous unless you're using something like tor.
  • sorry this is off-topic, but I think what Chloe and '?' are saying is true about a few of the comments on this site. Please remember to comment as if you are speaking to someone in the community. Even if you disagree, I'd find it hard to believe that you would call eachother names. No one expects agreement on all points of view and there have been some great threads with intelligent and valid counterpoints. I'm sure some of the comments are meant to be joking, but please respect your neighbors and try not to resort to name calling. Thanks!
  • Prof. Harold Hill
    People like Chloe, rich white kids looking high and low for racism, sniffing everybody's bunghole for a wiff. Falling over each other to "tell" teacher. Anybody knows KFC is middleclass. You be talkin Popeyes or Kennedy Fried Chicken FOOL!
  • Tim
    Can none of you idiots get a joke?? Too busy sipping $100 chardonnay to appreciate the humor of the common people I guess...
  • Robin
    Cheers to Chloe, "?" and Adam.
  • adam
    "She and Adam should go buy a place together on the UES where they won’t have to deal with anyone who doesn’t own a Bentley."

    haha -- what?! If anything, my least constructive comments here are remarks that disparage the tastes and habits of the wealthy.

    ...

    I think "?" and Chloe have got it about right.
  • Chloe
    Elise your disingenuous yet transparent attempt to make it appear as if I am being elitist is remarkable. Your use of this site is wholly non-constructive.

    What troubles me most is that rather than offering constructive ways to improve our neighborhood, certain individuals on this site use it as a vehicle to make light of the plights of those who are less fortunate than us. I think it is important to realize the true purpose of this site.
  • ?
    Elise, more low cost dining options are one thing. National fast food chains are another beast entirely. Aside from a cost perspective, please name one way a KFC, McDonald's, etc. would be good for this neighborhood. There is no food in that food. And if you read the some of the fast food comments you'll see that they were brought up in an entirely cynical way:

    "I’m not joking. If I had a McD franchise, I’d serve the McPanhandler 24 hours. (For the uninitiated, thats a slightly soiled-looking hot dog that seems kind of friendly but then gives you E Coli when you least expect it)."

    The knee jerk judgmental rejoinders that get thrown around on this site along with all of the Crackey & Smokey bum fight comments most threads devolve into are so pathetic and tiresome. The people who constantly make these comments are turning this site into a joke -- it's disrespectful of Hide and it brings shame on this neighborhood.
  • elise
    Amazing that Chloe thinks a medical center would be a bad idea. She also needs to realise that lower cost dining options are a necessity if this neighborhood isn't to become another Soho. Would Chloe prefer a Nobu? She and Adam should go buy a place together on the UES where they won't have to deal with anyone who doesn't own a Bentley.
  • derf
    Ummm....methinks someone is overreacting. I said a medical clinic would be nice and all I meant was it would be nice to have more services (and food options) in the neighborhhod. That's all.
  • Chloe
    Wow Harold you have proven how educated you are...you like the others are a joke.

    Elise you're one of those people who makes inappropriate comments then tries to spin it as if you were misinterpreted....the worst of them all.

    You're all so tough behind your computers....with name calling, racist and classist comments.

    Rent-a-centers, medical clinics, cash checking facilites and fast food restaurants ....all found in neighborhoods stricken by poverty and you all joke about it. You can't see the racism in the comments posted here then show me where the humor is.

    You're all just upset because I called you out......the truth hurts....and you have all shown me just how much.
  • Chloe
    Wow Harold you have proven how educated you are...you like the others are a joke.

    Elise you're one of those people who makes inappropriate comments then tries to spin it as if you were misinterpreted....the worst of them all.

    You're all so tough behind your computers....with name calling, racist and classist comments.

    Rent-a-centers, medical clinics, cash checking facilites and fast food restaurants ....all found in neighborhoods stricken by poverty and you all joke about it. Show me where the humor is.

    You're all just upset because I called you out......the truth hurts.
  • Prof. Harold Hill
    Vile "A**hole", Thou Hast Cut Me to the Quick!
  • ?
    Actually Chloe isn't the only one who sees racist & classist "connotations" in this thread. Although to say that many of the comments here merely "connote" bigotry is being a bit generous, Elsie.
  • elise
    What's racist about wanting a KFC? Sounds like Chloe is the only one seeing racist connotations here..
  • prof h. hill
    Vile Woman, Thou Hast Cut Me to the Quick!
  • Chloe
    Funny that so many of you walk around pretending to be so warm and friendly, but here you are going back and forth with each other posting some of the most racist and stereotypical comments - you're all a bunch of cowards!
  • elise
    I'd love some kind of fried chicken restaurant. A KFC would be really good for the neighborhood, we need some lower cost dining options
  • prof h. hill
    How about Hospice for all the artists left in the hood.
  • derf
    Some kind of medical clinic would be nice.
  • Michael
    How about a homeless shelter? Dumbo needs to take care of its own before getting another doggie day care
  • Dina
    A check cashing store or a rent-a-center would be nice.
  • derf
    A vet would be nice but we don't need another doggy daycare!
  • Mike
    As an FYI there is a new doggie daycare/vets opening up in the commercial space at 57Front Street - where the beacon tower sales office used to be.
  • girl1
    another idea- shoe repair shop!
  • inflammatory poster
    Gold & Tillary is IN the neighborhood?
  • L.E.
    J Condo is looking for food for the corner near the subway. A wine & sandwich shop would be great there. If you know someone who wants to open one, contact the name on the sign in the window.
  • Bumbo
    Why not use the space as a dispatch office for the bums? Cracky and Smokey and the rest of the gang need a place to punch the clock at the beginning and end of their shifts, and to change out of their Zoe outfits and into their uniforms.
  • Johnson
    They are not accepting food uses at the 84 Front space, nor at the Beacon space. And Walentas hates food uses. So there are very few spaces even possible for food. And yes, the foot traffic in DUMBO is a fraction of Montague or Smith Street yet the rents are almost as much.
  • Dan
    Can I have a McSmokey with fries please?
  • Lisa
    Tim, we would accept all major credit cards, cash, and styrofoam cups of loose change. Also small plastic bags of suspect white powder will be accepted.
  • Tim
    Lisa, how much would you charge for the McPanhandler? Can I pay for it with my styrofoam cup of loose change?
  • Jule
    There is a McDonalds in the neighborhood, on Gold St and Tillary St. Connected, what were you planning on opening at the 84 Front space?
  • Lisa
    I'm not joking. If I had a McD franchise, I'd serve the McPanhandler 24 hours. (For the uninitiated, thats a slightly soiled-looking hot dog that seems kind of friendly but then gives you E Coli when you least expect it).
  • KD
    LMAO!! Good one...
  • Lisa
    It would be nice to get a McDonalds or Burger King in the neighborhood. Its hard to find a decent snack sometimes.
  • low bmi
    A Pannini and Wine walk up, semi open air...what a wonderful idea. I wish we had the "freedom" in NYC to get away with such a venture but it's probably impossible. Nice pic. though - Thanks
  • connected
    Get with the program, guys. All you have to do is call the numbers listed: The small space on the left, with the green "for rent" sign has to be a "community facility" as per the incentive zoning deal with the city. Think dentist or doctors office or things like that.

    The Larger space to the right of the residential entrance is being split into two. A Chase ATM center (yes, Chase, even though they're just two blocks down; I tried to talk them out of it and let me have that space) and a UPS Store/Mailboxes Etc. store (the guy didn't remember the exact brand) with full post office services.
  • girl1
    Hm citibank atms is not such a bad idea...

    A fun brunch spot would be perfect
  • washington
    tried to find a space to open an italian wine and panini bar, but rents are high. the space next to where the atm's are going to be is oddly shaped.

    very hard to open a decent place right now. there just is not enough people in the neighborhood to support a higher end place.
  • DOT
    I think everyone would like to see more food options, but the problem with DUMBO is that the commercial rents are way too high (the highest on Front st) for such a nominal amount of foot traffic in the nabe. The rent is way ahead of it's time here... Landlords are pricing for the future, not the reality. Unless the property owners figure this out (and care), the nabe will be all about low overhead businesses... more banks, more furniture stores...
  • mike d
    late night sandwich and wine.
  • eater
    word to the late-night sandwich bar/counter. that would be ideal. currently there is not a single place to get decent food after 10pm.
  • Derf
    I would like to see some more food options as well, and a small post office would be helpful too.
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