The following are selected links from this past week on blogs and websites with discussion about Dumbo (and its neighboring areas):

• Zagat Nightlife: Galapagos, 21Feb09, NY1
• Attend CPC Meeting on Dock St, 21Feb09, FFLA
• Night Moves – Safe-T-Gallery, 22Feb09, NPB
• 3 Potato 4 @ Dumbo, 23Feb09, threepotatofourshop
• BHA Honors for BBP Popup Park, 25Feb09, Brooklyn Eagle
• Robert Martin Designs Sample Sale, 25Feb09, NY Times
• The Commandant’s House Revealed, 26Feb09, GL
• Markowitz ‘Support’ of Dock St, 26Feb09, Brooklyn Eagle
• Marty: Yes on Dock Street (sort of), 27Feb09, Brooklyn Paper
• Yum Yum Chefs, 24Feb09, So Haute
• Galapagos Art Space and Sci Fi Thriller, 24Feb09, Examiner
• BHA Annual Meeting Recap, 27Feb09, Brooklyn Heights Blog
• Hecho en Dumbo Visit, 23Feb09, Chicopea
• DUMBO’s Rezoning, 25Feb09, Brooklyn Paper
• Dirty Loves Clean Soaps @ Dumbo Flea, 25Feb09, dirtylovesclean
• 35 Pearl St; Recycle-a-bicycle, 27Feb09, nyc daily photo

(Photo by Megan on fitnessgurunyc.com)

The Fitness Guru, the Dumbo gym and fitness lifestyle center is hosting a Fitness Guru Town Meeting on Sunday, March 1, 2009 from 6:30-7:30pm. Michael, the Fitness Guru owner, will discuss strategies for thriving and surviving, in health fitness and life. Admission is free and wine will served. They recently revamped their website (fitnessgurunyc.com) to be more of a health/fitness blog that provides information, articles, a user-generated Q&A, and a lot of other great info like their upcoming Pilates Mat classes at the Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park this summer.

They’re also on Facebook and Twitter.

The Fitness Guru
77 Front Street, 2nd floor, Dumbo Brooklyn, NY 11201
718.554.3560

Previously:
{Fitness Guru Review in NY Times, 17May2007}
{The Fitness Guru Gym in Dumbo to Open in Jan 2007, 13Dec2006}

[UPDATE 2: The BP office has released a statement "recommending that the City Planning Commission and the City Council support the concept of residential, retail and parking at this site as proposed by Two Trees Management—however, I reject the building as currently configured and seek modifications based on certain conditions." Read full release in PDF format.]

[UPDATE 1: The Brooklyn President's office contacted us to make the correction that Mr. Markowitz's recommendation is not necessarily to build higher, but as of right, Two Trees can build up to 25 stories on the site (though CB2's stated previously that "As of right they can only build a 2-story building on the entire sight, 4 stories on half, 8 stories on a quarter, etc."). Mr. Markowitz is speaking from the concern for the iconic views from the Brooklyn Bridge, and proposes that the developer narrow the building, which in effect will improve the views and increase the height of the building if the square footage is maintained. Also, the BP office is considering the school issue a separate issue outside of the zoning proposal. We will be receiving an official statement from the Brooklyn President's office in the next few days.]

The NY Times has reported today that Marty Markowitz, the Brooklyn borough president has decided to support the Dock Street Dumbo project, after reassuring some opposition groups that he will ‘lean towards’ his decision to reject the proposal that was submitted in 2004 but will consider all the options. This is a big boost for Two Trees Management. However, his views are advisory only and the proposal goes before the City Planning Commission.

According to the NY Times City Room blog posting, Mr. Markowitz wrote to the Department of City Planning in support of the proposed tower and suggested to Two Trees Management that the tower be made taller, 25 stories instead of 18, and more slender.

“He also asked the developer to move the building, which is bordered by Dock, Front and Water Streets, about 70 feet farther away from Front Street. He also urged that the developer cut two stories off a nine-story wing of the building along Water Street. Those measures, Mr. Markowitz asserted, will protect views of the bridge.

“The views of the iconic and, I think, the world’s most celebrated bridge must be preserved,” Mr. Markowitz said in an interview. “There will be those that will celebrate this and there will be those that obviously have other views.”

This comes after Councilwoman Letitia James’ statement yesterday on her blog that a private-public partnership of Dock St Dumbo is a ‘no brainer’. The Dumbo Neighborhood Association, which opposes the proposal is shocked at the decision made by Mr. Markowitz and stated “We have never seen a politician change so dramatically from a promise he made to the community. We now get a 25 story tower, a 500 car garage [ed: BP Office will confirm this], and no school [ed: see above update].”

The City Planning Commission hearing on the proposed Two Trees Dock Street development will take place next Wednesday, March 4, 2009 at 12pm at 22 Reade Street, NYC. (See page 159 of the hearing schedule (PDF)). Is Marty’s decision shocking or expected?

Dumbo-based mag Heeb (profiled on DumboNYC in November 2007) posts the above image of roast beef sushi from a certain Dumbo deli on their blog today. I’m all for Asian fusion food once in a while, but some things just don’t go together. Agree with Heeb, big FAIL.

BoConcept in Dumbo is having an art exhibition starting next Thursday, March 5. This is their first art show featuring local painters, photographers, and designers: Danny Lowit, Daniel Krieger, George K. George, Deborah Freedman Yazmany Arboleda, Mireya Acierto.

Sponsored by: Itoen Tea, Brooklyn Oenology (BOE), SoNu Beverages , SoHo Reprographics

What: BoConcept Art Show, DUMBO Brooklyn
When: Opening Reception during First Thursday Dumbo Gallery Walk, March 5, 2009, 6-9pm
Where: BoConcept store, 79 Front Street (Btw. Main & Washington Sts.)
The exhibition runs through April 1. Reserve at RSVP@boconceptny.com for a 20% discount on accessories.

Bloomberg News reports that Water Street Realty Group LLC, owner of a luxury rental building in Dumbo filed for bankruptcy protection yesterday. Just before the building received the TCO, the building was converted from condo to a rental building at a time when buyer interest started slowing for new construction in Dumbo and a few condos were converted to rentals. Per Bloomberg:

“The company, in its Chapter 11 petition filed today in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Manhattan, listed debt of $30.4 million and assets of $20 million. General Electric Capital Corp. is listed as the company’s largest unsecured creditor, with a “disputed” claim of $22.4 million. Broadway Bank also has an unsecured claim of $20 million, according to court documents…The building was bought by Water Street Realty for $17.3 million in August 2006, according to a March 2007 blog on the real estate Web site Brownstoner.com.”

{NYC BIS: 133 Water}
{133 Water Street Received Their TCO, 16May2007}
{Scarano Architect Water Street Development Update, 23Aug2006}

We’ve always been a fan of Carrot Creative, a new-media agency located in Dumbo Brooklyn who specialize in social media, application development, and brand experience. They’re good at what they do and building up their own following by co-hosting the Digital DUMBO Drinks events. Mike Germano, co-founder of Carrot wrote a good summary of the first event last month. Working in the tech area ourselves (outside of this blog), we regretted missing the first one, but hope to attend. With Dumbo becoming an intersection of creative tech, media, and arts (ref. ‘the new Silicon Alley’), this event is a good way to have drinks at reBar while networking and meeting people at media companies based in Dumbo in an off-line social kind-of-way.

The Digital Dumbo Drinks is co-hosted by Dumbo-based technology companies Carrot Creative, outside.in, and The Jar Group.

What: Digital DUMBO Drinks #2
When: Thursday, February 26, 2009 from 6:00 PM – 7:30 pm
Where: reBar, 147 Front St., Brooklyn, NY 11201
RSVP: digitaldumbodrinks.eventbrite.com

(Photo courtesy of Brownstoner)

Prague Kolektiv, the furniture store specializing in original Czech furniture, lighting, and decorative objects closed its store location at 143 Front Street, as reported by Brownstoner.com on Friday. According to the posting, Prague Kolektiv moved to a showroom upstairs at 68 Jay Street, Suite 415, which is open to the public from noon to 3pm Tuesday through Friday. They follow a few recent store closings in the area.

(Photo by Josh Derr)

The following are selected links from this past week on blogs and websites with discussion about Dumbo (and its neighboring areas):

• Feb 2009 Commercial Leases, 20Feb09, Brownstoner
• ‘Upscale’ Graffiti in Dumbo?, 17Feb09, charleneweisler.com
• More problem$ at Brooklyn Bridge ‘Park’, 19Feb09, Brooklyn Paper
• An Apple Store for Brooklyn?, 14Feb09, Fortune
• Brooklyn Visit, 15Feb09, Red Bridge Brooklyn
• Dumbo Replicated in Red Hook?, 17Feb09, Brooklyn Eagle
• Shorty Awards in Dumbo, 18Feb09, NY1
• Brooklyn Flea Worth Checking Out, 18Feb09, NYULocal
• Day at the Flea, 18Feb09, waiszedesigns
• A Doll’s House at St. Ann’s, 19Feb09, Brooklyn Paper
• FiDi ‘Diaper District’. Is Dumbo the Same?, 22Feb09, NY Times
• Brooklyn Bridge, Sands St. Entrance, 15Feb09, Gowanus Lounge

 Jet Lowe, Photographer, 1982. (Click photo for larger version)

From the Library of Congress archives. The caption of the photo reads “Long distance view looking NW towards Manhattan showing access ramps to bridge. Jet Lowe, photographer, 1982.” The 27 year photo shows a few differences with the facade of 70 Washington Street updated and the addition of the top of 1 Main St building today, but may change in the coming years if Dock Street Dumbo were built and the proposed Verizon building facade is updated across the Brooklyn Bridge in Manhattan.

Thanks das for sending this in.