[+] click for larger. Dock Street Height Comparison as provided by architect Bleyer Binder Belle

In a public review session at the City Planning Commission (CPC) yesterday, they discussed the Dock Street Dumbo plans to better assess testimonies, alternatives, and issues raised at the Public Hearing on March 4, which included public testimonies. In yesterday’s public meeting, Department of City Planning (DCP) staff made presentation and no testimonies were taken.

Amanda Burden, Chair of the City Planning Commission, stated that the Dock St Dumbo project is ‘the most difficult to date’. Discussion centered around the shadows, building height, and disproportion of the project, but stopped short of making any recommendations until the official CPC vote on April 22. Also possible recommendation not to exceed the height of the 30 Main Street building, which would reduce the proposed height from 183 feet to 151 feet (not counting the water tower/bulkhead) or an R7B zoning (which has a 75 foot height limit and recommended by the surrounding neighborhood associations (DNA, FFLA, BHA, and VHNA)). Amanda Burden requested more accurate drawings and images with true elevations for a more rounded picture of the building so it can be evaluated to respect both the Brooklyn Bridge and the community.

In a video report published today, The Real Deal takes a look at Brooklyn Heights. While the area is faring better than most other Brooklyn neighborhoods, it is still seeing softening. Sales for 20 Henry Street were suspended until a model unit is finished, and inventory for co-ops and condos have risen by 10-20% in Brooklyn Heights, according to William Ross of Halstead Property.

Several Montague Street merchants have closed. Brooklyn Heights Blog has been following the troubles facing Montague Street merchants and has posted today a video with interviews of some retail merchants.

Finally, even with inventory rising, the former Standish Hotel (169 Columbia Heights in Brooklyn Heights), converted to rentals are 2/3 rented a pricing from $2900 to $5400 per month.

70 Washington St. (Photo courtesy of Josh Derr)

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

• Brooklyn Paper Moves From Dumbo, 20Mar09, NY Times
• NYPF: Open for Submissions, 20Mar09, NYPF
• Two Landlords Bridged.., 21Mar09, Noticing NY
• 20 Jay Non-Profit Central, 23Mar09, Brownstoner
• Squadron seeks tax money for BBP, 23Mar09, Brooklyn Paper
• Brooklyn Flea Outdoor Preview, 23Mar09, Metromix
• VH House Review: Thumbs Up, 24Mar09, NY Times
• VH House Review: Thumbs Up, 24Mar09, Paper Finger
• VH House & 68 Jay St Bar, 22Mar09, frenchfrieswithpepper
• VH House Review: Room For Improvement, 27Mar09, Eater
• Donations in Memory of Robert Guskind, 27Mar09, GL
• Last Night in Dumbo for Brooklyn Paper, 27Mar09, NY Observer
• BB Park Progress on Pier 1, 27Mar09, BHB
• Reality Shows Bust into Brooklyn, 27Mar09, Examiner
• Recycle-a-Bicycle Builds Hope and Bikes, 24Mar09, mnn.com
• 28 Old Fulton St, #5E, 22Mar09, Brownstoner

On Saturday, March 28, at Galapagos in DUMBO, Brooklyn, we are going to be having our 4th Return of Rococo baroque-themed party featuring burlesque, aerialism, spectacles, hula hoop acrobats, feats of strength, juggling, magic, fortune telling, and the nouveau-electronic-baroque music and live art of Snazz Mammoth and kmbs.

Go to returnofrococo.com for full details.

Where: Galapagos Art Space, 16 Main Street, Dumbo Brooklyn (galapagosartspace.com)
When: Saturday, March 28, 9pm
Description: The extravagance of 1770 rococo Paris meets the eclecticism of 2009 underground New York nightlife.

Think Amadeus, Marie Antoinette, the Marquis de Sade, etc… but with a thoroughly modern twist.

This 4th installment of the Party will feature burlesque, aerialism, spectacles, hula hoop acrobatics, magic, juggling, baroque “makeovers”, fortune telling, live art, and live techno baroque and rococo rock music.

Powdered wigs, powdered faces, candelabras, masques, and big hair will all abound in the most baroque ball since the guillotine came down!

View pictures of previous parties:

• By Miss Maro, of the Village Voice (villagevoice.com)
• By Ben Deibert (flickr)
• By Rob Domingo, Court Photographer (flickr)

Outside enjoying the weather…Hope you’re able to get out of that office to enjoy the warm sun.

Our neighbor, Brooklyn Heights Blog notes that The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society is planning to build an 850 person residential and administrative complex in Rockland County, via the Journal News. The Journal News article mentions that “the society plans to move many of its administrative offices from Brooklyn, where it has overseen its worldwide operations for 100 years.”

The organization owns many of the buildings in and around Dumbo. We did not receive any replies after attempting to contact them via email on which building’s will be moved in Brooklyn. There are approximately 33 buildings located in Brooklyn Heights and Dumbo that make up the Watchtower Society’s complex. Many of the buildings are located on Adams, York, and Prospect Streets. 69 Adams is the ‘tennis court‘ building, and then there are the parking lots on 85 Jay Street and the lot behind 70 Washington Street at York and Front Street. Does anyone from the society know any details?

Propel-her Dance Collective announces a benefit party to support its 2009 New York performance season that includes a national tour. Step Right Up!, a circus-themed event, will be held March, 26, 2009 from 6:30pm to midnight at Galapagos Art Space in Dumbo, Brooklyn. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door, and are available at propelherdance.com. Track them on their blog at propelherdance.wordpress.com.

The party will feature Brooklyn-based band Pass Kontrol, which plays regularly at The Bushwick Starr, Goodbye Blue Monday, Lit Lounge, Northeast Kingdom, Pete’s Candy Store, among others, and which has created of the short film “The 21st Arrondissement of Paris: Bushwick” as well as the play “The Outskirts.” DJs Oskar Mann and Winslow Porter will also appear. Both have been featured at spots such as Sin Sin, Leopard Lounge, La Esquina, Cipriani Downtown, The Reed Space, Gallery Bar, The Anchor, Paris Paris (France), The Sub-Mercer and the Diesel Store at Union Square. The evening will also include performances by other special guests and a raffle.

Propel-her Dance Collective plans to take its May program, The Balancing Act, on the road this year, stopping in each of its founders’ hometowns for a performance and residency. The touring project called The Balancing Act: A Hometown Review is one of ten projects – and the only in dance – to be selected for Fame Theory’s new experiment: Trust Art (www.trustart.org). Through an innovative and transparent investment platform, including selling stocks in each project, Trust Art will assist Propel-her Dance Collective in gaining financial and social capital to support the Collective’s project The Balancing Act: A Hometown Review. The project’s success can be tracked on Trust Art’s website, and proceeds from Propel-her’s March fundraiser will support its capital goal.

Digital Dumbo is a monthly networking event that showcases local Dumbo-based companies. This month’s event will include a live demo by drop.io showing the company’s new real-time collaboration features the company recently announced at the NY Tech Meetup. You can drop your own content from your mobile phone as the event is happening and help create the interesting and engaging content to look back on after the night ends.

Due to the large crowds Digital DUMBO has been pulling in, we’ll be hosting this month’s event in the main area of ReBar. We’ll have the side room marked off as well if you’d like to mingle there. Plus, we’ve negotiated some drink specials. Note that we’ve also moved the event back to 6:30 vs the usual 6pm start time.

Check out the recap of last month’s event from MediaPost’s Just an Online Minute.

What: Digital DUMBO Drinks #3
When: Thursday, March 26, 2009 from 6:30 PM
Where: reBar, 147 Front St., Brooklyn, NY 11201
RSVP: digitaldumbodrinks.eventbrite.com

magasin totale: a designer’s collective showroom

Opening Celebration: Wednesday, March 25 5-8pm (please come by!)
Location: 10 Jay Street, Suite 724, Dumbo, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Mission: To provide a showcase for a selection of the very best 21st century designers working in the United States today

We sell wholesale to retailers, to the trade at a special discount & retail to the public: all orders are custom made. Now is the time to support those who make their living crafting beautiful objects that will last a lifetime… and beyond. Call or email now to set up an appointment.

Contact: to rsvp, and for all sales & press inquiries: Michelle Casciolo. 646-671-0371; mcasciolo@gmail.com. For more information about the showroom & designers, please visit magasintotale.wordpress.com

designers:

• caleb siemon – hand-blown glass (heavy)
• judy ross – hand-embroidered pillows, rugs
• joe cariati – hand-blown glass (light)
• rita macdonald – hand-painted wall patterns & framed drawings
• kiln design studio – copper & enamel tableware & jewelry

*custom design services available

“Work Out, Baby” is a postnatal fitness class where babies are welcome (but not required). It has been popular in Park Slope and Cobble Hill and now is offered in Dumbo at the Sencha Center. Through a combination of Pilates, yoga, strength training, circuits, and myofascial release, you will learn how to reconnect to the abdominal muscles, tone the pelvic floor, open those tight shoulders, ease that back pain, break a sweat and finally begin to let go of some of that baby weight.

They are offering a FREE sample class this Thursday 3/26 @ 11am (please RSVP and invite a friend!). They also have a class already running at 12:30 if you would like to drop in.

6 week program $110

Please contact:

Zoe Levine ACE C-PT, Pre/ Postnatal certified (healthymomsnyc@yahoo.com)
The Sencha Center
147 Front St. #406, Brooklyn, NY 11201
917-309-5969

Zoe is also available for private or semi-private personal training.