From the inbox…More car break-ins on Front Street, Brooklyn Bridge Park meeting notes, and questions for Vinegar Hill residents after the jump. Thanks for your emails. Apologies if I haven’t been able to get to all of them.
1) Subject: Recent Car Break-ins
I was wondering if you guys had heard about the recent string of car break-ins (I have seen broken windows the past couple of weeks all along Front St, especially the stretch between Jay and Gold Streets), and whether there has been any police reaction? My car was broken into last night, and it seems like the police presence has actually been going down in the last couple of months (after they removed that police tower thing). Have you guys been hearing anything? Thanks
[Ed Note: Please call 311, the 84th Precinct 718-875-6811 (store this number in your cell phone)), or 911 if you witness any crimes.]
2) Subject: Dumbo park meeting
It was badly advertised- just a couple of laminated notices on the outside of the Dumbo dog run, which could have been mistaken to be earlier notices advertising a children’s planting in the park day.
I didn’t take notes. The topics covered were:
Cleaning the park and getting funding for a regular parks employee to clean and maintain the Brooklyn Bridge Park. The particular parks department division which covers Brooklyn Bridge Park has 12 employees to clean and maintain 88 parks. The Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy needs $17,984 for a dedicated employee for 6 months and is seeking donations. They just don’t have the money for that now.
What to do about all the dog owners that are NOT cleaning up after their dogs. The fact that there are mesh cages w/ free plastic bags filled by courteous dog owners throughout the park makes it impossible for me to understand why or how people are not picking up their dog poo, especially in such a beautiful park. It’s just awful. I think the majority of dog owners are very responsible, but w/ the thousands of dogs now in Dumbo, a few bad apples are really making it a gross problem.
Rats- there is a problem but not an epidemic. The ‘basket’ trashcans encourage rats so there was discussion of getting cans that are close to rat proof- no such thing as completely rat proof. Also, very good suggestion that some of the recycling cans so particular to Dumbo be placed closer to the park- they can’t be inside the park because they are city cans.
Trash – with the popularity of Dumbo, especially the park, as a destination, and the large increase of residents w/in the last year or so, use of the park has doubled or tripled. There is regular trash pick up, but on good weather days you really need someone to change the bags more often.
A lot of these problems would be ameliorated by a dedicated employee, in uniform, for our park to:
- Pick up and empty trash
- Sweep & clean the playground
- Monitor & assist w/ dog waste clean-up
- Water the lawn
- Weed, answer questions, etc.
So, if you use and love the park, the great job the parks department has done so far, please encourage people to donate to the conservancy for a dedicated employee.
Also, people can volunteer every Tuesday 6:00 to 8:00 pm, and Saturday 10:00 am to noon to garden in the park! Weeding, mulching, pruning, just meet at Main Street entrance.
[Ed Note: We hadn't received any emails or seen any notices about this meeting. If anyone else was able to attend, let us know your thoughts.]
3) Subject: Vinegar Hill Questions?
To Whom It May Concern:
I am currently a graduate student at Hunter College studying City Planning. I am in the process of doing a research project on Vinegar Hill. One of the components of the project is to take into account the experiences, issues, likes and dislikes of those living in Vinegar Hill. Could you please post the following questions to your blog or if there is a better way to communicate these questions to your readers please let me know. Thank you.
- Do you think the Con Edison facility negatively impacts your community? If so, in what way?
- Do you think the facility should be relocated?
- Does your community need more recreational facilities/open space? If so, where?
- Where do you go food shopping?
- Does the city provide enough services for your community? If not, what services would you like to see?
- What are the benefits of living in Vinegar Hill?
- What other issues would you like to see addressed in the community?
- Any other thoughts?
Thank you for taking the time to fill out this informal survey.
- Kevin
[Ed Note: Please email dumbonyc@gmail.com with your answers to help out Kevin with his questions. Thanks!]
4) Subject: What’s going on at 231-233 front St?
For the last few weeks, a once seemingly vacant building has had the windows opened on several floors and lights turned on. then off in the late evenings-though no one seemed to be in the unit. Is it for sale? Up for development? It’s very creepy.
[Ed Note: According to DOB records, 231 Front Street is owned by a Luly K Designs, LLC, a "business that manufactures women's & misses' sportswear."]
May 27th, 2008 at 10:56 am
My car was also vandalized recently in Dumbo. About two weeks ago our car window was broken and items were stolen from inside our car parked on Front Street between Jay and Bridge Streets. It’s kind of a desolate block because one side has the walled-off vacant lot/parking lot, and the other has abandoned buildings.
I called the police to file a report, but left after waiting 45 minutes by the car. The whole time there was a homeless guy waiting right next to the car who kept telling me he knew who did it (probably him). The back driver’s side window was smashed in and some worthless items in the back seat were taken. Looks like the thief may have been caught in the act because the e-z pass was pulled only half-way off the windshield.
I put the car in a garage, and nearly 2 hours after my call, the police called me back to tell me they were waiting for me on Front Street to file the report. I know it wasn’t an emergency, but still, the response was scarily slow. The homeless guy by my car kept saying “good thing you’re not getting jumped.”
If you have to park on Dumbo side streets (or main streets), don’t leave anything in plain view inside the car. Vagrants will smash your windows even for some coins in the cup holder.
May 27th, 2008 at 11:17 am
Folks, here’s the latest Two Trees Dock Street Propaganda!
May 27th, 2008 at 11:18 am
Sorry here goes the link:
http://www.nypost.com/seven/05272008/news/columnists/give_bklyn_this_school__112731.htm
May 27th, 2008 at 11:56 am
I too have seen windows smashed around the neighborhood. It’s really disheartening to see this type of vandalism and break ins in the neighborhood. J wine’s evidently had their store window smashed in over the weekend.
May 27th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
“It’s kind of a desolate block because one side has the walled-off vacant lot/parking lot, and the other has abandoned buildings.”
fyi – the building across the street from the jehova’s witness parking lot is not abandoned. people live and work in there. there are usually lights on in the spaces on the top floor that are being used as residences. (and they look pretty cozy too.)
sorry to hear about your car and the experience waiting for the police. it’s not likely that would have been jumped while waiting for the cops. who knows why that guy was trying to get a rise out of you.
May 27th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
anyone know the story on the building known only as “the building across the street from the JW”. Is it zone for residential? Artist Studios?
May 27th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
Would have liked to have gone to that park meeting but also didn’t see any signs. Were these the “It’s your park” signs?
I thought the stretch of the park west of One Main is a city park, not state or “other”, so don’t understand why the recycling bins can’t be placed there.
May 27th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
I saw the huge hole in the glass at J wine’s and liquors. It’s sad that a new business opens up and within weeks their front window is smashed in. Lot’s of businesses in DUMBO do not install security gates and I tend to think that’s great for the look of the neighborhood, but with incidents like this couldn’t really blame them if they did. I hope the assholes who did this get caught. J’s should install camera’s facing the street/store entrance similar to the Apothecary.
May 27th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
In addition to having to worry about being assaulted and robbed by roving thugs and being harassed by panhandlers everyday now I have to be careful where I park my car because someone is smashing windows and breaking into cars.
F-ing great, what’s next?!?!
May 27th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
Just a note. I live in 206 Front St and we had recently had our parking lot renovated. I did not feel comfortable about parking in the street so I parked in a parking lot at 351 Jay Street (in indoor parking lot). I left the car there for 3 nights. When I went to collect my car I found 13 dollars in quarters stolen and my glove box open and disorganized. I have stayed in multiple parking lots in and around NYC and this never happened. I complained to the management (but to no avail) but wanted others to be aware.
May 27th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
I like dumbo and live here but really think dumbo is on the way down…
too much crap to deal with from those PJs..Also why property values will continue to slide as people start seeing more and more of this crime and violence.
May 27th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
Hi, im am a victim of a robbery attempted in dumbo, this occurred last night 5/26 in front of 79 Bridge between Front and York @ around 9:30pm, I actually don’t live in dumbo, I just work in the area, I live in Williamsburg.
I left my office @ around 9:25, I planned on making the way home by foot (2.5 miles), I left my car parked next to my office (which was already vandalized with graffiti in this area) , I sometimes like the walk home especially during nice weathers to air out and to keep my parking space for the next day. So I started my way up on Water street, on Water off Jay I saw 3 African American guys/boys coming towards me…for someone who was born and raised in Brooklyn I noticed right away that they looked suspicious, so I started being cautious and using street smart skills, the 3 guys past me and I continued walking on water, I kind of knew and sensed that they are slowly turning back but I continued walking and decided to make a right turn on bridge because Bridge is a bit more exposed then Water, while walking on Bridge I heard and saw two guys running past me, I crossed the street to the side of 79 Bridge and their in front of 79 they jumped me, one guy jumped full force while putting his arm around my neck, he chocked me and tried pushing me to the ground, I as able to stand still so he pushed me towards the building and starting threatening me to hand over everything I’ve got, the guy who chocked me went for my blackberry which I was holding in my right hand and the other guy went for my pockets, I was resisting them and hung on to my stuff as tight as I was able to, the guy who chocked me put his hand in the pocket of his sweater, pointing with something and said “I’ll shoot you in the head”, I believe he was just pretending to have a weapon, at this point there was another African American guy (who I believe was just a pedestrian) walking down Bridge from Front going towards us, the two guys sort of backed off but still threatened me, I cried out for help from the guy while he walked past us, the guy just looked at me laughed and claimed that he doesn’t have a cell!! Finally a resident of 79 must’ve heard to noise, he looked out the windows and asked “is everything ok?”, when I heard the guy I yelled out “please call help”, I guess that must’ve have scared them away because they took off. I was completely traumatized! I quickly walked back to my car, drove to the scene and called 911, I was informed from the 911 dispatcher that the resident from 79 also called 911. While waiting in my car for 911 I starting feeling pain in my Jaw, I think they may have damaged something in my Jaw because I cant chew on my left side and I’m having a headache from the pain (going for x-ray soon)
While on the phone with 911, the residence (who possibly saved my life) came down to check up on me, he offered to buzz him if I needed anything, I don’t know if I thanked him or not because I was a bit disoriented, so I would like to take this opportunity to express my deepest gratitude to that person, I don’t know who you are but god bless you and god bless NYC for having people like you, Thanks you from the depth of my hearth!
I would like to point out that im by all means not a racist; I have the “greatest respect to all humans from all walks of life” but one must wonder; why is it that certain geographic areas – housing a certain sect of people are so dangers? I know some people live in poverty but who is at fault? America is a great country, there is opportunity everywhere, one just needs to reach out and try to be successful, there are many very successful powerful folks, pple of all colors, why is there a large portion that choose not to reach out for a better life rather then living a criminal life??
I think the 84th Precinct is doing an amazing job but they are stretched pretty thin, the cops and detective that helped me were really nice and very helpful but they can only do as much as they can with the amount of resources they currently have, I believe that adding more cops on the street is a good start but we know its not going to happen overnight, I think the dumbo folks need to unite and volunteer to protect the neighborhood, no im NOT talking about violence or using weapons, im talking about simply driving around and looking out for those hoodlums, if we see something suspicions or an attack we try to (safely) stop it and immediately call 911, another great idea – if we spot an attack would be to photograph them or take video which will lead to there arrest. If the people in dumbo are serious about there safety then come forward and dedicates 30 minutes or an hours a week for a shift to circle around a block or two, the more arrests the safer you will be, I don’t live in this area but I would be willing to volunteer if other people will come forward. Keep in mind that these guys are not professional criminals, with a few extra pair of eyes you can scare them away and safe peoples mind and possibly lifes.
I will naturally not walk anymore but I must say that I feel that my freedom has be robbed and violated; I should have the right to walk home and enjoy the clear sky!
Finally if anyone knows the owner or management company of 79 bridge then please get in touch with me, I would like to have them review their security camera from 5/26 around 9:30pm (+/- 10 minutes), it must have caught their faces – either directly or running towards me, I would recognize them if I see them under the same settings, I would really like these guys arrested, anyone who can help me arrest these guys please contact me @ networktech10@gmail.com a.s.a.p.
Thanks you and god bless NYC
May 27th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
Geez! Sorry about the typos, I hope you guys can decode what I wrote, i was completely not focused when I typed, I just reviewed it…omg!
May 27th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
dumbo is not going to go down, especially not while people with endlessly deep pockets who live here – like walentas who has a serious, long-term financial stake in the neighborhood.
if anything, the projects are going to go down. i’ve heard all kinds of things from local police officers about them. one officer told me that they’re going to tear them down, and another one said that they’re going to become housing for NYC’s municipal workers.
the thugs in the projects are brining on their own ruin, and unfortunately will take all the decent, hardworking people who live in farragut with them right out of the neighborhood, sooner or later.
my bet is on sooner.
May 27th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
It would be nice if they could have more cops walking the beat around DUMBO and Vinegar Hill. It seems like these thugs run into the neighborhood to snatch and grab whatever they can then run home into the projects for shelter. Then they do the same thing the very next day.
May 27th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
Joe did they make off with your Blackberry and wallet? Sorry to hear about your ordeal. I hope they catch the perps who did this. The community needs to band together to stop these attacks. Kudos to the person that helped you out.
May 27th, 2008 at 5:20 pm
Anon, they didn’t take anything i managed to keep them away from my stuff until the gentleman scared them away.
May 27th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
I originally emailed Dumbonyc.com about the park meeting. I didn’t take written notes, so am sure I left some things out. There were many people from various agencies there: Marianna Koval, president of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy, Lena Neglia, and others from the Parks Department, a rat specialist, etc., I’m leaving several people out. As far as I could tell, only three or four residents. If they see this, please help fill in the blanks if you can. Epc- not being able to put the new(er) Dumbo recycling containers in the non-state part of the park is a little confusing to me also, I just remember there was general consensus they couldn’t, but would try and put them closer to the park entrances to help w/ the trash problem. Re: the signs. That’s what was confusing. There were “It’s your park day” signs outside the dog run for about a week. They were apparently replaced w/ notices for the park meeting on the weekend, and it was easy to miss them, thinking they were the older ones.
My heart goes out to the victim(s) of crime in Dumbo. I’ve been very frustrated w/ the police presence- the lack of it in Dumbo. Patrol cars drove around the neighborhood w/ great frequency shortly after the earlier mugging on Front & Washington, then that silly elevated viewing booth, now, very little. I never, ever see foot patrols. Do they even do that anywhere in NYC anymore? I can appreciate a strapped precinct. I know they don’t have extra officers available for us- Dumbo residents aren’t any more special than all the other neighborhoods the 84th covers, but why do they only drive around in a car every once in awhile? It seems the same two officers in a car would see more, not less, if walking around while on duty. As it is now, I see the cops stop by Peas & Pickles maybe a couple of times a day, get out, go in, then leave.
May 27th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
I have heard from a number of owners of smaller buildings (i.e. smaller than the massive JCondo and Gair buildings) that they are prevented from developing their properties in a similar manner to those buildings by building more floors, etc., and as a result, they are leaving them vacant, because they do not have the incentive to convert them to residential usage in their current state. Perhaps if they were granted permission to develop their properties it would decrease the amount of crime through the increase of residents and businesses in the area. Perhaps it is time to question the Dept of Buildings, Landmark Preservation Committee, and City Planning’s “vision” (or lack thereof)for the neighborhood, and allow longtime owners of buildings to expand their buildings to help make the neighborhood safer, and a place that warrants the huge amounts of money spent to live here.
May 27th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Joe,
Sorry to hear about your ordeal as well.
As someone who was born and raised in brooklyn and spent their whole life here in nyc im kind of shocked at your story and the others like it I have read on this site.
I’ve spent my fair share of time in shady neighborhoods all over Brooklyn and Manhattan and have never really felt unsafe walking through a lot of those places @ 930pm , never mind in a neighborhood littered with multi million dollar condos.
I moved here a few months ago from Manhattan and really love the neighborhood, but hearing sh*^ like this is very disheartening.
Call me crazy , but if i buy a million dollar apartment I’d like to be able to walk around my neighborhood in the evening without having to worry about being attacked.
May 27th, 2008 at 6:39 pm
Yes i agree, i work here and i love the neighborhood, im 30 years old, I lived in brooklyn my whole life and never did i experience have such an encounters, is it possible that they have an agenda? in other words is it possible they have a motive other then robbing?
May 27th, 2008 at 6:44 pm
This is why prices in Dumbo will go down unless something is done.
And that guy who mentioned that “cops told them they would tear down the projects” you are one misguided individual. First, cops would not have any knowledge of this and second, those pjs will not go anywhere as long as al sharpton and the race card crew are around. Those Pjs will be there for the rest of our lifetime trust me…
And walentas is not a god, he is just a real estate owner with no more say over what happens to those pjs then the rest of us. Just because he has an interest in dumbo does not mean people who continue to deal with this crime decide to cash out and move to a safer hood. And I live in Dumbo and would like to see the opposite happen but my gut tells me prices will continue to go down…
May 27th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
Joe, to answer you question. There is no other motive. It is part of their “culture” to rob people and take what you can not have, because you blew your whole welfare check on matching shoes and hats but still complain that you can not afford more than $300 for rent…
May 27th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
If more crime means prices will go down I might put up with some shit cause these prices are friggin ridiculous.
May 27th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
I don’t mean to diminish the impact of having your window smashed or getting mugged, but this isn’t unique to DUMBO. It happens frequently in Brooklyn Heights, typically on the streets which connect the Promenade to subway stations. When I lived on Hicks St there were always 2-3 cars on Cranberry with windows smashed in on a weekly basis. There’s people who run the length of the promenade, pick off two-three people to rob, and then run down Cranberry or Clark and get on a train before the cops can do anything about it.
May 27th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
what prices are dropping in dumbo? the most expensive condo in all of brooklyn was just sold here.
prices may soften if the economy continues to sag, but there isn’t going to be a mass exodus because there have been three attempted robberies this year.
May 27th, 2008 at 7:28 pm
Laura, you are some new breed of moron.
Here’s hoping you or someone you love gets mugged soon. Please, once that happens, post about the experience and we’ll pass the hat around so you can find an apartment.
What is wrong with you? On second thought, keep it to yourself.
May 27th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
Um, just because the most expensive property sold in bk was in dumbo does not mean anything. Also, it took 4 years and the seller to drop his ask by 30%.
For price drops, just check out the below link…take a look at the numerous down arrows..time to wake up…
http://www.streeteasy.com/nyc/sales/dumbo-brooklyn?page=1&sort_by=price_desc
May 27th, 2008 at 9:56 pm
i’m not arguing that prices may soften – and some may have already – but that’s not due to crime. it’s thanks to the economy and the credit crunch.
and i wouldn’t bet on the projects being there for the rest of our lives either. at least not in their current state of ruin. (you do know that there’s a big stretch of former projects in fort greene, don’t you?) there is too much sweat and money pouring into the revitalization of dumbo, downtown brooklyn, fort greene, etc. for things to stand as they are long-term, especially as dumbo is becoming a serious tourist destination. the cops probably don’t know exactly what’s going on with farragut, but clearly they are repeating things they’ve heard from other city officials. conversations on the subject, if not more, are being had.
and sure the walentas’ are not gods, but there are DEEP pockets there and they have a very vested interest in this neighborhood. and as we all know, deep pockets often make the world turn. they’ve got an eight gazillion dollar penthouse left to sell one day and lots of other plans for the neighborhood that they aren’t going to see spoiled if they can help it.
May 28th, 2008 at 9:09 am
fitting article in nymag this week
http://nymag.com/realestate/features/47224/
May 28th, 2008 at 9:49 am
great, prices in many other neighborhoods are going down as well. what conclusions do you have for the other neighborhoods?
May 28th, 2008 at 11:41 am
I don’t think the projects are going anywhere, but I have heard from a very credible source that the city will slowly transition the pj’s from very low income to low/moderate income residents. This will make a huge difference in the type of people who reside there. Less welfare, more working class and therefore less crime hopefully.
But on another note… if the Lower East Side, Chelsea, Fort Greene, and countless other gentrified neighborhoods can thrive next to the projects, what make folks think dumbo can’t? It may take time for the 2 “worlds” to coalesce, but I’m still sold on my investment in this neighborhood.
May 28th, 2008 at 11:44 am
Prices are dropping faster in dumbo then in other prime areas such as bk heights, carroll gardens, and prime slope (non of that BS below 9th street..)
areas that are dropping faster than dumbo are quite obvious. All of eastern brooklyn, clinton hill (ghetto) and ft green (surrounded by ghettos), and downtown bk (way way too much supply and crappy at that). Prices are dropping because of crime (people are in fact leaving), ridiculous price buildup (over 2 mil in clinton hill? people were suckered), and too much supply (oro, bell tel, 110, toren, etc, etc, etc).
I do agree dumbo is a better investment than most areas in brooklyn but the downward prices will continue..And I do live in dumbo and like it a lot, however it really needs more places to eat/drink and less empty and/or artsy storefronts.
May 28th, 2008 at 11:55 am
DOT, you make some good points however I do not see that happening in our lifetime.
Chelsea is much bigger than dumbo and the part near the projects are far from nice or safe. Ft Green looks nice in pictures but is crime ridden anywhere off of the main streets. Lower east side/EV is again much bigger than dumbo and the part near ave D is terribly dangerous still. No neighborhood coexists with pjs as many of those who live there are always on the prowl…
May 28th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
you can’t compare the real estate in dumbo to that in the rest of prime brooklyn – and all neighborhoods you describe, ‘great’, are brownstone neighborhoods with incomparable housing stock.
prices may appear to you to be falling faster in dumbo, but it looks like some of it is coming from people who bought blockbuster condos to flip, are perhaps overleveraged, relocated for work, etc., who’ve put their apartments up for sale with asking prices that better reflect the market last spring rather than reality of today’s credit crunch.
prices are falling in many brooklyn heights buildings. the common fees in many older buildings are astronomical in that nabe because they’ve been underfunded, mismanaged and slightly neglected for decades. there are far too many common charges that could easily = a buyer’s monthly mortgage payment.
bottom line, dumbo is a terrific neighborhood and we can’t let a few incidents get blown out of proportion.
May 28th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
all housing stock is comparable..it has 4 walls and a roof. many buildings in dumbo are new construction which the both carroll gardens and park slope have as well. Dumbo is unique with its large factory conversions, however in all honesty living in 70 washington is really quite similar to living in j condo..
dumbo is not yet terrific..it is a good neighborhood but is missing quite a bit to be fully established. ie, more food, bars, roads that arent comparable to India’s roads, soundproofing under the bridge, and dont forget about the everlasting projects..
May 28th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
Did anyone else notice all the broken store windowsthis weekend? The wine store in J Condo (which actually looked like someone tried to cut a hole in the window, there was a perfect circle cut in the glass), the gallery on Front street had 2 completely shattered windows and another store on Water between Pearl and Jay had a broken window. I guess they’re graduating from cars to buildings.
May 28th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
The car break ins and thefts are a fact of life for New York City. I come here as I have a few friends who live in DUMBO. By the way, I adore DUMBO and believe it will continue to grow and propser. I live out in Queens in one of the most expensive neighborhoods. We have one of the highest rates of car THEFT in the city. Imagine, walking out to your car one day and poof its gone! DUMBO residents need to be a little more realistic and less uptight about all this stuff. Your living in the heart of Brooklyn,not on Park Avenue in Manhattan. Of course, police need to do more. However, they only have so much manpower.As for the price drops, its happening everywhere. The outer boroughs like Brooklyn and Queens have been massive price drops, a glut of available housing and foreclosures all over the place. Only Manhattan has been somewhat immune from all of this. Finally, there has been alot of discussion about Farragut Houses. I agree that projects tend to breed alot of negative antisocial behavior and crime. Believe me, I know all about it as I grew up in the Pomonok Houses out in Queens. However, you must understand there are many decent people living in these projects as well. Many of them feel just as victimized by crime as you do. They often feel as if they have no way out. Most of you guys in DUMBO chose to move there. You need to work with the people of Farragut to make things better. Stop relentlessly bashing them.
May 28th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
all housing stock is not comparable – particularly when you’re looking at a pre-war walk-up floor-through in a brownstone vs. a new condo conversion with an elevator, doorman, etc. both properties have unique charms and drawbacks, but they’re very different types of housing that will attract specific buyers who would likely turn their noses up at the other property.
while many other prime neighborhoods have new construction properties, the bulk of their housing stock is in brownstones. if you read brownstoner you’ll see that he features the biggest brooklyn sales every week, and one of them is always in dumbo, but nearly all the other sales are for entire brownstones, many in marginal neighborhoods, while the dumbo sale is a 2 or 3-bed blockbuster condo.
cb, i hear you, but i think it’s understood that when farragut is mentioned in here we’re all talking about the 20% +/- of the population over there that are causing problems in the 84th, not to mention the terrible chaos and fear they must be causing for all of the decent, hardworking people who literally live next door to them. farragut isn’t even in the top 5 or 10 worst projects in NYC, but it must be cleaned up for everyone’s sake.
May 29th, 2008 at 12:20 am
A lot of you out there have been mouthing all these platitudes about an intergrated neighborhood. Well, welcome to Dumbo. Like it or not Farragut is a part of Dumbo and will be more so as the parks along the river are developed. Wait until J Condo rents to Applebee’s or Olive Garden. Whoa, we’ll be cheek and jowl!
For what its worth, I suspect most of the perps who raid down here are not from Farragut. You should never shit where you live.
May 29th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Thank you cb for being a sane voice of reason. And sorry ? but unfortunately I don’t think “it’s understood that when farragut is mentioned in here we’re all talking about the 20% +/- of the population…” I’ve been living in DUMBO for 15 years and it’s a wonderful neighborhood. But it, like every other neighborhood, is not and never will be immune from crime.
Just because you’ve spent a good deal of money to invest in a home and move to this neighborhood doesn’t mean that the people that you don’t care for should up and leave their own homes. The neighborhood and Farragut were here before you moved here and it belongs to ALL the people that live here, not just you. Maybe you can invest more than money in our neighborhhod and we can figure out a way to coexist. Over generalizing about the “pj” only breeds hatred and misunderstanding that flows both ways.
May 29th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
I wonder if anyone here actually does anything to show any good will toward Farragut.I’ll tell you what I do. I walk my dog through the neighborhood almost every day, I have on occasion double parked and gone in to one of those bodegas, stopped to watch the different sports practice after school, taken all my grown kids used toys to the Boys and Girls Club and generally struck up conversations with anyone who feels like talking about my dog, the weather or whatever. I simply do what you all did when you moved here. WALKED. By saying “we can figure out a way to coexist”, you are implying that we are natural enemies. Other than typing all these platitudes back and forth to each other, sniffing around for closet racism, very little action is ever done. Take a walk some day.
May 29th, 2008 at 7:41 pm
I think alot of the new Dumbo residents (people who have moved in during the last 5 years or so)really didnt have a realistic view of what they were moving into. This was certainly the case with one of my friends. He had this sense that he was moving to a crime free bohemian utopia where he would be free to roam the streets at all hours. He has finally come down to earth and realized he is in BROOKLYN. In Brooklyn, you need to watch your back no matter where you go.
IT IS NOT MIDTOWN MANHATTAN! I am in agreement with the last couple of writers. There is terrible scapegoating of the Farragut residents on many pages of this blog. One person mentioned that 20% of the Farragut population is criminal. An absolutely outrageous and unfounded statement. Maybe 1%-3%, but not 20. Thats just stupid and it tells me that some Dumbo residents dont have a clue.
May 29th, 2008 at 8:15 pm
cb, due respect, but do you know specifics about farragut, or are you generalizing based upon your own experience in queens?
i’ve met two former residents of farragut who detest that housing project. one literally sait on the ground while he talked about it and said it should be torn down because it has been absolutely ruined by the its criminal element.
you’ve got me. it’s true i don’t know a real statistic and i’m sure i’m not half as enlightened as i like to think i am, but sadly i don’t think your numbers are quite on the mark either.
May 29th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
well, according to the 84th precinct’s website there have been 412 major crimes in the precinct up through the end of last week. let’s, just for argument’s sake go a little overboard and triple that number to arrive at a year long figure of 1236 crimes in the precinct as a whole.
according to the ny housing authority, farragut houses in brooklyn has 1,390 apartments housing some 3,440 residents. if 20% of those residents are criminals – that’s 688 criminals. so let’s say that these 688 people are responsible for EVERY crime in the 84th precinct this year – which includes dumbo, brooklyn heights, boerum hill, vinegar hill and the farragut residences themselves. that would mean that these people are committing 1.7 crimes each a year.
doesn’t sound likely to me either. i’m with cb.
May 29th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
i wonder how many white collar criminals live in 70 washington?
May 29th, 2008 at 11:30 pm
haha, how humanitarian of people to be walking dogs around and intermingling with people from the projects (especially since their is a dog park in the other direction in brooklyn heights), but give me a break, there will always be a class and race distinction between the people in dumbo and the projects and there will always be tension. its envy, jealousy and greed which is the impetus of these crimes. these attributes are also not going to go away, ever.
call me racist, but id make a bet that these crimes are caused by black young males from the nearby projects with baggy jeans and hat tilt to the side. that was the profile of the perps of the recent muggings and also the muggings going on with the chinese residents at 167 sands street, and we are to believe because we want to be politically correct that these incidents are any different? so unless you have a better idea, id be more wary in the meantime until the cops make some arrest. a cop will tell you the same.
May 30th, 2008 at 12:09 am
“id make a bet that these crimes are caused by black young males from the nearby projects with baggy jeans and hat tilt to the side.”
Your an idiot. Thats is a blatantly racist statement. I cant believe someone like you actually exists in this day and age. Thats a really sorry statement. You ought be ashamed of yourself.
“cb, due respect, but do you know specifics about farragut, or are you generalizing based upon your own experience in queens?”
First of all, I lived in Brooklyn Heights for ten years. I have also worked in Dumbo. I also 5 friends who have also lived in Dumbo and Vinegar Hill. Three of them are still there. I told you about one of them. I know all about Farragut. It has problems. Problems that can be solved. I also grew up in projects in Queens, so I have a good sense of what goes on. I moved to Douglas Manor Queens as I got tired of Brooklyn. In terms of generalizing, you are the one who threw out the 20% figure without anything to back it up. To suggest that 20% of the Farragut population is criminals is beyond ridiculous. The criminal element is maybe 1-3 percent. It is also mostly teenagers. Do you think 40-70 year old men and women are out mugging people. Come on, get real.
I agree Farrafut has problems. The point I was trying to make is that there are decent people living there and you need to stop generalizing and putting down the entire place. Get involved with your community instead of constantly bitching and crying to the police. I honestly havent seen any kind of outreach from the newbies in Dumbo to the people of Farragut who have lived there for decades. People live in housing projects because they are poor and for whatever circumstances in life didnt have the opportunities that others have had. It doesnt mean they are stupid or less than you. Just because you have a little condo in Dumbo doesnt make you superior to anyone. This is the sense I get from reading your comments. Lets stop the foolishness.
May 30th, 2008 at 12:20 am
couldn’t have said it better myself, cb.
May 30th, 2008 at 12:33 am
I just read the comment from the guy who was mugged. I feel for you man. I have been mugged twice in my lifetime and its terrifying experience. Im just glad you werent seriously injured. Your right, people should have the ability to walk on the streets at night without fear. However, this is Brooklyn and you just cant do it. This is the part I dont understand. Many people in Dumbo seem to think that because people with money are moving into the area that somehow its been magically transformed into a safe mecca. That its not Brooklyn anymore.Its far from that. I lived in Brooklyn Heights for ten years on Cranberry street. I can tell you that muggings were a regular occurence. Especially on the promenade late at night. Before the gentrification, everyone knew to stay out of Dumbo at night. It was considered a dangerous area for decades.Personal safety comes first. You just cant walk around at night unless you have people with you. Even then its a gamble.
May 30th, 2008 at 9:26 am
“The criminal element is maybe 1-3 percent. It is also mostly teenagers. Do you think 40-70 year old men and women are out mugging people. Come on, get real.”
you sir are an ageist and no better than me when you think that teenagers are the only ones committing these crimes. so get off that high horse of yours and get real. true idiocy does not lie with those who have a belief, but with those who believe they can’t be wrong. like i said before, call me racist (as you did), but i think its just biased feelins and human instinct based on what has already occured, very much like your teenager comment.
May 30th, 2008 at 9:46 am
cb, reading more of your comments above, im not seeing what your story is. whats your stake? i mean what you wrote below is absurd and the fact that you grew up and live in queens right now makes it even worse. it seems as though you are a self-righteous defender of people in the projects, fine, you grew up in one, you know the people, great. But to critize the “new” residents of dumbo after we’ve been messed with, comon man, don’t kick us when we’re down. read what you wrote below over…another blanket statement..absurb..and you’re from queens..this is ridiculous..
“I think alot of the new Dumbo residents (people who have moved in during the last 5 years or so)really didnt have a realistic view of what they were moving into. This was certainly the case with one of my friends. He had this sense that he was moving to a crime free bohemian utopia where he would be free to roam the streets at all hours. He has finally come down to earth and realized he is in BROOKLYN. In Brooklyn, you need to watch your back no matter where you go.
IT IS NOT MIDTOWN MANHATTAN! I am in agreement with the last couple of writers. There is terrible scapegoating of the Farragut residents on many pages of this blog. One person mentioned that 20% of the Farragut population is criminal. An absolutely outrageous and unfounded statement. Maybe 1%-3%, but not 20. Thats just stupid and it tells me that some Dumbo residents dont have a clue.”
May 30th, 2008 at 10:11 am
resident, your rantings don’t make any sense. do us all a favor and step away from the keyboard.
May 30th, 2008 at 10:26 am
cb, i do,’t know of your horse could get any higher, man. brooklyn heights, eh? man you must have seen some st*t, like families, dogs and quiet elderly people. brooklyn heights was one of the first neighborhoods in this borough that even people in manhattan knew about – it’s been on the map as a good alternative to manhattan since the early ’70s when my parents nearly moved over from the east 80s.
all your talk of scary BROOKLYN sounds like it’s come from a comic book you read once. brooklyn can be dangerous. and anyone who thinks they can wander around at ALL hours, safely, is kidding themselves. and not just in brooklyn, ANYWHERE in NYC.
dumbo and vinegar hill are not dangerous neighborhoods. the last incident makes three attempted robberies this year. three too many, as most of us feel, but based on NYC numbers, not bad. *BROOKLYN* or not, there is absolutely no reason why someone should be called out as a fool or clueless because he was walking alone at 9:30 pm. we’re not talking about midnight on the promenade, you’re the only one who is.
May 30th, 2008 at 10:31 am
hmmmm wrote….”i wonder how many white collar criminals live in 70 washington?”
and this (another one-liner of yours) is relevant because…..?
thus, my opposition has been
1. defender of the projects
2. attacker of the white collared worker
hmmmm…i wonder why? are we seeing any trends here…?
i might not be the most eloquent but i am trying to be somewhat reasonable and logical here. you don’t have to buy into what i have to say, but at least know where im coming from.
May 30th, 2008 at 10:43 am
so what is it that you trying to imply about your opposition? just so we do know where you’re coming from.
May 30th, 2008 at 10:54 am
be fair, please answer my question first. life is a two-way street my friend.
hmmmm wrote….”i wonder how many white collar criminals live in 70 washington?”
and this (another one-liner of yours) is relevant because…..?
May 30th, 2008 at 11:01 am
hmmmm…first you tell me to step away from the keyboard and now you are asking for my clarification, don’t be erratic, calm down, gather your thoughts and please make up your mind. then we can be adults and have a reasonable discussion.
May 30th, 2008 at 11:06 am
ok, fair enough. is it fair to assume that 20% of people that live in a poor housing development are criminals? is it fair to assume that 20% of people who live in a rich housing development are criminals? no, of course not. but i’m sure there’s a small percentage in both and just because the crimes are different doesn’t make one group of people better than the other.
May 30th, 2008 at 11:23 am
we shouldn’t take the 20% too literally, lets focus on the point…its seems like apples and oranges to me..criminal behavior HAS occurred steming from the projects, this has been stated by the cops from the 84th precinct. these people are attacking us on the streets we live in. i feel threatened because of this. and because of what has already occured, i have reason to think that the perps are from the projects.
white collared crime is a completely different issue.
as to your question above, there a clear dichotomy of commenters here..
1. i fall into group one – a resident who fears the decrease of his saftely and property value
2. group two – those who are not as concerned with dumbo’s future or saftey, but more concentrated on being overall good citizens and decent human beings who need to uphold the virtue of political correctness by any means necessary. who probably cannot relate to the residents here but rather feel more sympathy to a group of people who they feel are being discriminated. (i.e. people from the projects)
May 30th, 2008 at 11:32 am
actually, i can relate. i live and work in dumbo and have since 1998. in that 10 years, i have been a victim of crime – i have been mugged, my car has been broken into and my office has been broken into. i am VERY concerned about the safety of the neighborhood and its residents, including myself.
BUT, i don’t think living in fear of people that you are over generalizing about is any way to make our neighborhood safer. i think there is a way to be both a concerned resident and a decent human being.
May 30th, 2008 at 11:55 am
This is for Resident and ? (question mark). Resident, I dont know quite honestly where your coming from. You continue to make stereotypical generalizations about black people as well as people who live in housing projects. I dont like you, as Ive dealt with people like you my entire life. Your not worth my time. Question mark. I have lived in Brooklyn Heights. I have been very rich and very poor in my lifetime. I have seen both sides of life. I can tell you rich is better. Thats my honest answer. However, unlike yourself, I have NEVER forgotten where I came from. As Ive stated, I grew up in public housing. We were blamed and stereotyped for every ill known to the community. The reality was it was never true. We had a few bad apples that made it difficult for the rest of us. SDame is true for Farragut.Therefore
Im making one very simple point to you. Stop pointing the finger and start reaching out to your community for change. Your incessant complaining is not going to help anything. As for Brooklyn, its still one of my favorite places. You simply dont know the full history of DUMBO. Its safer than it used to be, but it hasnt reached a point in its evolution where its safe to walk around totally alone late at night. It will eventually though.
May 30th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
Man, CB you an interesting person. No one is blaming the whole pjs, just the small % who are criminals. Ask any cop or look at any report about crime in the 84th and tell me what the MO of the criminal is? White male from 70 wash? Didnt think so buddy.
Congrats you got out of the pjs, but most people dont due to tough circumstances and a good dose of laziness and complacency. Why move when you get very cheap rent and dont even have to work? Sign me up!
If I had a dog and was walking through farragut to “reach out” to the community chances are someone there will reach out to me and swipe my phone and wallet. You have some uptopian view that anyone and everyone can get along, but that is not the case when people have to fear for their safety.
May 30th, 2008 at 12:52 pm
oh, and i forgot to say…don’t you just love blogs? i can so easily hide behind this anonymous name and show myself to me the small hateful person i really am.
May 30th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
“However, unlike yourself, I have NEVER forgotten where I came from.”
you know nothing about me or where I’ve come from. i haven’t written my own tale of woe on this site as you have. aside from mentioning that my parents lived in the east 80s, i haven’t told you anything about my own financial circumstances or past struggles. and no, my life and my parents financial status have not been perfect, they’ve been all over the map, and like you, i will NEVER forget the hard times. unlike you, myself or my family have never gotten a hand out and i hope to god we are never again in a position where we might need one.
i know dumbo well – i have spent time in the neighborhood for the last ten years. i used to work with printers over here and was here in day and evening hours, and you’re right, it was a different world here then. but that doesn’t mean it’s 1/4l as dangerous now. and while we all knew there was crime (or at least the strong potential for it) before we moved here, we can still work to make this a safer neighborhood and we have every right to expect it to grow better for everyone as each year passes.
you know nothing about what i or others are doing to make this a better community, but if you are just as skilled at generalizing and making ignorant assumptions as you accuse myself and others at being.
as for my “incessant complaining” about the projects, come off it. aside from saying that farragut needs to be cleaned up for EVERYONE’s sake (which includes the people who live there, i haven’t ‘complained’. the day care center floods every time it rains substantially and i believe some sewage also backs into it. the city is cutting back on funding needed for its already crumbling, poorly maintained housing projects. and there is a significant drug dealing scene that the cops are trying to deal with all the time. not to mention the late night gunfire and absolutely senseless murders like the one that happened last summer where a group of thugs shot a nice kid whom they felt had slighted them. you can’t argue that all of that needs to be cleaned up, particularly for the sake of the people who live immediately around it, like you once did.
May 30th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
cb, in case you didn’t catch this, what do you feel about what you said below about teenagers. you are a hypocrite and sound quite childish when your only defense is name calling. thanks for telling us about your rags to riches story and the fact that you hate me, do you know for someone who wants to make a community better you lack tact and would make a horrible diplomat. perhaps the right intentions but definitely the wrong person for the job. so keep to yourself and write on your own neighborhood blog because your anecdotes are not very helpful here.
“The criminal element is maybe 1-3 percent. It is also mostly teenagers. Do you think 40-70 year old men and women are out mugging people. Come on, get real.”
you sir are an ageist and no better than me when you think that teenagers are the only ones committing these crimes. so get off that high horse of yours and get real. true idiocy does not lie with those who have a belief, but with those who believe they can’t be wrong. like i said before, call me racist (as you did), but i think its just biased feelins and human instinct based on what has already occured, very much like your teenager comment.
May 30th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
wow. i’ve never commented on a blog before but resident’s last comment just pushed me over the edge. the only comments that have been childish and unhelpful are your own. i hope dumbo’s real estate market goes skyhigh so maybe then you’ll sell your condo and move some where else.
May 30th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Interesting brooklyn cover piece in NYmag about snarky blog posts, and this one about neighborhood police in brooklyn:
http://www.observer.com/2008/brooklyn-borough-thinning-blue-line-brownstone-land
May 30th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
im flattered that with all the blogs and all the comments out there, im the person able to strike a chord with you “just my two cents”…its coincidental that while my comment was directed towards “cb”, you, a person who has “never commented before” would find offense. what are the chances. anyway, lets be civilized like i’ve been doing with everyone else. please explain yourself, why i my comment childish and unhelpful and yours not, why did i push you over the edge? explain why i was able to get this rise out of you. do you live in queens? are you cb’s best friend? please explain.
May 30th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
just so we don’t get sidetracked by this interfering dialogue with “just my two cents”, i am still waiting for “cb’s” reply from my previous post.
cb, in case you didn’t catch this, what do you feel about what you said below about teenagers. you are a hypocrite and sound quite childish when your only defense is name calling. thanks for telling us about your rags to riches story and the fact that you hate me, do you know for someone who wants to make a community better you lack tact and would make a horrible diplomat. perhaps the right intentions but definitely the wrong person for the job. so keep to yourself and write on your own neighborhood blog because your anecdotes are not very helpful here.
“The criminal element is maybe 1-3 percent. It is also mostly teenagers. Do you think 40-70 year old men and women are out mugging people. Come on, get real.”
you sir are an ageist and no better than me when you think that teenagers are the only ones committing these crimes. so get off that high horse of yours and get real. true idiocy does not lie with those who have a belief, but with those who believe they can’t be wrong. like i said before, call me racist (as you did), but i think its just biased feelins and human instinct based on what has already occured, very much like your teenager comment.
May 30th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
no, resident, unfortunately i don’t know cb. i live in dumbo in the sweeney building and i think your a jack-ass. yes, now i’m being childish by calling you names. do you have a job or do you spend all day on this blog spewing venom?
May 30th, 2008 at 5:22 pm
just my two cents, zing, you got me, unfortunately im not as sensitive as you. you are a riot to me and very unbecoming of a good neighbor. you’re only at your first two posts and so much anger already. your emotions are clogging your brain, relax, gather your thoughts, and lets please avoid these ad hominem remarks and try to address the issues and the mature questions.
and to be polite, i will answer your question. as long as you keep reading, i will keep writing buddy. job or no job. vive la post. smile its the weekend.
May 30th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
cb, think of something clever to write yet?
May 30th, 2008 at 5:54 pm
yes, resident, its quite obvious to all that you are about as sensitive as a dump truck. and it is also obvious that you are the one with the anger issues.
i’m glad that you find me to be a riot, i am actually quite funny. you on the other hand, are a terrible bore.
May 30th, 2008 at 6:55 pm
“we all knew there was crime (or at least the strong potential for it) before we moved here, we can still work to make this a safer neighborhood and we have every right to expect it to grow better for everyone as each year passes.”
I agree with you 100%. I worked in DUMBO for many years, its so much better now than it used to be. I truly hope that the Farragut blame game on this board will end for everyones sake. Working with the people who live in Farragut will prove to be as huge plus for all of the community.
Just my two cents- I agree with you ten fold.
May 30th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
thanks, cb. and i sincerely apologize for throwing out such a boneheaded “statistic” earlier in this thread.
June 1st, 2008 at 3:44 am
Statistically it’s usually black males between the age of 12 – 38 that cause all these crimes and quality of life infractions.
June 1st, 2008 at 1:04 pm
A car window was smashed on the corner of york and front last night…
oh damn
that’s my car.
June 1st, 2008 at 8:35 pm
cb you need to blow smoke up somebody else’s ass. What do you mean we’re suppose to “work with” “outreach to”. I got a leaf rake, should I go over there and rake leaves, maybe I should mop the hallway. You’re long on talk but short on the walk.
June 2nd, 2008 at 8:04 am
mike d, don’t leave the gsp plunger on the window- dead give away for the thugs
June 2nd, 2008 at 1:11 pm
Z – how did you know I did?
June 3rd, 2008 at 2:58 pm
This one’s for “great”:
Last Week’s Biggest Sales (courtesy of Brownstoner)
http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2008/06/last_weeks_bigg_18.php
1. DUMBO $2,100,000
70 Washington Street, Unit 10G GMAP (left)
Sale was of a 10th-floor unit at 70 Wash, which has been turning up frequently in our biggest sales roundup. Deed recorded 5/28.
2. SUNSET PARK $1,468,000
4115 8th Avenue GMAP (right)
Two-fam with ground-floor retail space. Deed recorded 5/29.
3. WILLIAMSBURG $1,400,000
85 North 3rd Street; penthouse unit GMAP
Penthouse unit at Burg’s Mill Building. Deed recorded 5/29.
4. SUNSET PARK $1,035,000
740 56th Street GMAP
3,291-sf, 2-family brick house. Deed recorded 5/28.
5. CARROLL GARDENS $1,020,000
100 2nd Place, Unit 2 GMAP
According to StreetEasy, this 1,000-sf condo was listed for $1,180,000 at the end of May. Deed recorded 5/30.
June 5th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
i know many of you don’t like to hear this, but I bought a building here before it was called dumbo. back then the f train could not be used after dark because the thugs would wait at the exit, rob you, then run away. the cops wouldn’t even come down here. but there is another type of lawbreaker brought in by development. i’m afraid it’s you! the increase of dog owners who don’t pick up after their dogs is amazing! there is a law on the books that requires it to be picked up off all streets and sidewalks and then deposited in trash cans. talk about the degradation of the neighborhood! it is unsanitary and stinky to leave the droppings on any street dumbo.
June 5th, 2008 at 3:36 pm
Oldtimer, I couldn’t agree with you more. Dogs should not poop or pee on the sidewalk, much less right in front of a building’s entrance. Smears of dog poop that has been picked up are also gross and unsanitary. Can’t dog owners grab a few pieces of newspaper and shove it under fido’s butt before the pooping starts? You usually have a few seconds once they squat to get some paper under them.
And I am a dog lover, just don’t love having to avoid piles and puddles.
June 9th, 2008 at 6:51 pm
Last Week’s Biggest Sales (courtesy of brownstoner,com)
http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2008/06/last_weeks_bigg_19.php
The One Main closing is one of a series of recent big deals in the building, according to DumboNYC.
1. DUMBO $3,995,000
One Main Street, 9D GMAP (left)
According to PropShark, this bad boy clocks in at 2,477 square feet. Deed recorded 6/5.
2. MIDWOOD $2,509,000
1511 East 7th Street GMAP (right)
Two-fam house is 4,728 square feet and has a garage. Deed recorded 6/5.
3. PARK SLOPE $2,025,000
1 Montgomery Place, Unit 1 GMAP
Originally listed at $2,600,000 almost a year ago, according to StreetEasy. 3-bed, 2.5 bath, 2,162-square-foot duplex. Deed recorded 6/4.
4. FORT GREENE $1,969,000
16 Willoughby Avenue GMAP
Asking $1,969,000 when we had it as an Open House Pick in January. Four-story, 3-family house. Deed recorded 6/3.
5. WILLIAMSBURG $1,665,000
211 North 5th, Penthouse Unit GMAP
Duplex unit in “The Metropolitan” condo was originally asking $1,875,000 last August, according to Street Easy. Unit=3-bed, 2-bath, 1,917 square feet. Deed recorded 6/4.
June 9th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
wow you can post random one main condos that sold for a lot. dosent mean prices are not dropping. click on the link and see the red dumbo area…
http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2008/06/red_nabes_lose.php
June 9th, 2008 at 11:19 pm
prices are dropping everywhere, it’s true. mortgages are harder to come by and many apartments are priced inappropriately initially, which leads to price chops.
i’m not posting “random” one main condos. i have posted brownstoner’s biggest brooklyn sales column for the last two weeks and a dumbo condo has just happened to TOP the list both times. how often, even in NYC, do people buy $4 million properties? that’s a huge investment to make in a neighborhood, particularly in this market, and it’s worth noting.
if you want to keep taking pot shots at this neighborhood, one that you claim to live in, “great”, go ahead, but what’s your point? that’s a rhetorical question, by the way.
June 10th, 2008 at 12:36 am
In 5 years this neighborhood will be nothing more than a bedroom community. I lived in Soho in its prime, moved to Union Square. Saw all the open studios come and go. Elephants painting, artists selling gegas, bookstores, street theater, bars for slumming will all be gone. nothing but dry cleaners, high priced delis and blotted restaurants will remain. Prices will hold in the renovated and new I suppose (proximity to Manhattan) but Dumbo as a artist enclave is a stillborn. It is inevitable. People aren’t paying 4 m so they can wander around and discover the neighborhood. Bean counters and list makers like “?” can proudly tell their out of town relatives they live in a “artist community”.
June 10th, 2008 at 10:39 am
i’m not a bean counter or a list maker, but i will cop to being a list copy and paster, you’ve got me there. but i am someone who cares about this neighborhood and don’t like to see whiny, judgmental people taking uninformed pot shots at it – its safety, character, beauty, charm, and admittedly its property values.
June 10th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Not pot shots but facts. I cant argue with you on its character, beauty (except the half pavement half paving stone sts), and charm. I do disagree with you on its safety and property values (or is that devalue?). I do like the neighborhood however i am a realist who dosent mask the truth to protect my property’s value.
June 10th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
i’m not masking “the truth” to protect my property value. and i’m not arguing with you about lots of pricing trending down for LOTS of reasons, but “great” stated earlier that a few incidents are about to set off a *white flight* panic. and then she complained about the belgian block streets and artsy storefronts in the neighborhood. so whatever.
it’s true that even one incident is one too many, but this is NYC and things are going to happen. people get jumped in the heights and park slope as well, and they have their share of vandalism – along with the recent rash of apartment break-ins in BH. we live in NYC not mayberry. wake up.
July 3rd, 2008 at 1:13 pm
[...] Note: We had the car break-in email from a previous mailbag post, and we get emails every so often about them. Please call 311, the 84th Precinct 718-875-6811 [...]
August 11th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
[...] {Mailbag: Car Break-ins, Park Meeting Notes, and Vinegar Hill Questions} {Mailbag: More Car Break-ins, Local Contractors, and Washington St Repairs} Filed in Dumbo Residents, Water Street at 2:48 pm [...]
January 12th, 2009 at 8:23 pm
I just got my Mini window bashed in this weekend
in the middle of the day. No one saw anything?
Yeah Right…. I live at 100 Jay and I will be setting up a camera from my apartment down on my car. I will not deal with these M.F. and I will not hide in my apartment. Alos putting a mini camera in my car this week. If I catch any of them I will throw there ass in jail.
January 12th, 2009 at 10:46 pm
@ Jennipher
For what its worth, I also noticed several other busted out windows on Pearl underneath the bridge on Saturday, as well as some fresh broken glass underneath the BQE overpass on Pearl this morning.
January 13th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
the recession is just bringing more of these incidents into focus. simply put, the projects on gold st are conveniently close for more car breakins, ground level window smashings etc. the pace is picking up and will get worse pretty soon, when unemployment benefits run out for alot of people. an easy snatch of valuables is just easy in vinegar hill and dumbo. it’s also easy to get away with it. there aren’t alot of cops here and they never get out of the car.
January 14th, 2009 at 9:07 am
The pace of crime actually has slowed during the colder months. So much of the crime that goes on over here is committed by idiot kids or crazy people like Squarehead and has little if anything to do with the economy. The main worry really is how much will the 84th be cutting it’s staff due to the downturn.
January 14th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
the blaeks don’t like the cold