The HOB Connection will be again running to and from Dumbo this Saturday (and every first and third Saturday of the month) from 10am-5pm.

It’s a great weekend to visit the Heart of Brooklyn:

• Hanami (the cherry blossom viewing season) is on at Brooklyn Botanic Garden
• Meet a Keeper chats at Prospect Park Zoo
• the exhibition Gustave Caillebotte: Impressionist Paintings from Paris to the Sea at Brooklyn Museum
• Introduction to Bird Watching tours at Prospect Park from 12-1:30
• Spring Break Eco-Fest activities at Brooklyn Children’s Museum
• Story Play plus other free activities at Brooklyn Public Library’s Central Library branch

For the parents who are interested in the Hanami event at the Botanical Garden, read more about the kids’ photo contest over at Mommy Poppins. More activities can be seen at heartofbrooklyn.org/calendar.

The HOB Connection is free and provides hop-on, hop-off service with tour guides and local tips for places to eat, drink and shop. The Connection picks up at the intersection of Main St. and Water St. as well as at Fulton Ferry Landing. A full schedule with pickup locations at times can be found at heartofbrooklyn.org/connection.

Geeking Out, a new monthly reading series from Gelf is held at JLA Studios in Dumbo Brooklyn (63 Pearl Street). Geeking Out features some of the best science writers and researchers around. In the third week of each month, three of the brightest minds in the field will share their expertise.

The first event takes place tonight at 7:30pm, Tax Day. The lineup includes:

• former Discover Magazine editor-in-chief Paul Hoffman, a noted enigmatologist and author who will be speaking about his most recent book, King’s Gambit: A Son, A Father, and the World’s Most Dangerous Game
• John Derbyshire, conservative columnist for the National Review, and author of the mathematically-themed books Prime Obsession: Bernhard Riemann and the Greatest Unsolved Problem in Mathematics, and Unknown Quantity: A Real and Imaginary History of Algebra
• Glen Whitney, the founder of America’s only math museum.

The work of local artists will be on display as well. Doors will open at 7:00 pm and the event will start at 7:30pm. Admission is FREE. Drinks will be available.

Previously: {Gelf’s ‘Media Circus’ Event, 7Apr2009}

“The outdoor Brooklyn Flea in Fort Greene reopens this Saturday, April 18, bringing New York City’s biggest and best market for vintage/antiques, food, art, crafts, jewelry, and more back to the 40,000-square-foot Bishop Loughlin schoolyard,” says Eric Demby, the co-founder of the Brooklyn Flea. In addition, the indoor “Pop-Up” markets in Dumbo has become ‘permanent’ on Sundays, following their successful winter run. (The DUMBO markets, in two vacant storefronts at 76 and 81 Front St., attracted up to 8000 people every weekend, and have attracted a lot of press.) Some vendors will sell at both locations. We’ve gotten used to having the Brooklyn Flea, since its start in January, and subsequently expanding two weeks later. It has brought a lot of new visitors to the area and made the Washington and Front Street corner a lively place to visit for shopping and food. We’re looking forward to ongoing deals and good food.

Update below.

[UPDATE (14Apr2009): The cause of this is from people riding bikes up it, and it’s just not built for that. It can only get bolted down to the Belgian block (and not through it), and they don’t hold under the weight. The sculpture may have to be moved, unless the DOT can get funding to build a guard for it.]

Oh no! We walked by the Pearl Street Triangle yesterday and saw the sculpture, titled Zeus, by Bates Wilson is down. The Otterness sculpture was lifted away a few weeks ago, but we hope this one isn’t leaving Dumbo as well.

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

• StreetEasy Talk: Advice on Dumbo, 05Apr09, StreetEasy
• 72 Berry: Vinegar Hill Architect is Only Project Selling in Wburg?, 10Apr09, TRD
• At Bob Guskind’s Memorial, 06Apr09, Pardon Me for Asking
• There’s a new pizza on the block, 07Apr09, Brooklyn Paper
• The Witnesses’ Imprint, 08Apr09, Brooklyn Eagle
• Brooklyn Flea Dumbo Last Full Weekend, 05Apr09, Brownstoner
• Brooklyn Eagle Tours Etsy, 06Apr09, Brooklyn Eagle
• David McCullough Talks Brooklyn Bridge, 10Apr09, NY Times
• Navy Yards Restores Sands St Gate House, 10Apr09, Brownstoner
• 277 Gold Street Update, 10Apr09, Brownstoner
• Brooklyn Flea Browsin’, 08Apr09, Style Chile
• OpEd: Let Dumbo Thrive, 09Apr09, Brooklyn Paper
• BQE Silencer for Brooklyn Bridge Park, 07Apr09, Curbed

The NY State Parks is holding a Spring Festival and Egg Hunts on Saturday, April 11 at Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park, Main Street entrance at 11:00, 12:00 and 1:00. Come enjoy spring with crafts, music and food. For more information: www.nysparks.com.

Note that the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy is NOT holding their annual Spring Fling Egg Hunt this year but will be back next year.

Galapagos Art Space presents Floating Kabarette, with aerialists, DJs, Burlesque, Variety!

This week:
Soonji free haircuts – yes, free haircuts!
DJ Andee
Harvest Moon Burlesque
Jenny Rocha Dancers
Johnny Clockworks
Jesse Rivkin
Anya – aerialist extraordinaire
Emily Venizelos – contortionist
Plus your hosts Olga and Bjorn / straight off the boat from Sweden, lost.

Saturday, April 11th, 8pm Door, 9pm Show, free

For more info, go to galapagosartspace.com

After the owners of 133 Water Street building filed for bankruptcy in February, there have been some unfortunate turn of events that is causing residents some concern for them and their neighbors. First the bankruptcy occurred, then the building owners stopped paying the super, who was forced to quit until residents brought him back, then the doorman stopped showing for a few days (though that may be a coincidence), and finally tenants in the building have reported serious carbon monoxide (CO) issues without any management response. The super was partially paid by the owners after he sent a letter to all residents stating why he was no longer working. A resident started a blog to discuss these issues at 133water.blogspot.com, with lots of discussions about the building issues.

There have been several tenants who have moved out due to the potential health issues and others have stopped paying rent until management addresses their concerns.

A few residents have moved out due to extremely high levels of CO on the 9th floor and the 12th floor (see above photo). Multiple 911 and FDNY calls and CO meter readings have showed levels as high as 1000 PPM near the balcony (next to the chimney of the building next door) and levels in the apartment reaching 189 ppm, deadly levels. At sustained CO concentrations above 150 to 200 ppm, disorientation, unconsciousness, and death are possible (Wikipedia reference.) The FDNY called the DOB, who issued violations to both buildings and shut down the boiler next door. However that doesn’t stop the building from turning it back on. In the meantime, the building management accused residents of causing unnecessary drama, according to residents.

It’s a shame that the owner of 133 Water Street building as well as the adjoining building is not taking responsibility for the safety of residents who are directly affected by the CO caused by the chimney. Our concern is for the safety of the children in the building and the residents. We hope that the building management will address this asap.

The condo units at 100 Gold Street has just hit the market. We previously posted about the development progress in January. This 5 story, 10 unit condominium is the first ‘green’ building in Vinegar Hill. They have a new website at onehundredgold.com, being marketed by Corcoran. There are two units per floor, one in the front and one rear facing with a terrace. Prices for 1 bedroom, 1 bath, 700 sqft units are priced from $525-550k and there are two penthouse units 1067 and 1085 sqft for $925k and $935k. Do you think these prices (at $675 – $867 per sq ft) are reasonable?

The Department of City Planning’s proposed Dumbo rezoning was voted on by the full Community Board last night. Yesterday’s vote by the full board rejected the proposed rezoning by a vote of 13-10. CB2 members who voted against felt that the 12 story height limit is too tall for the neighborhood, while the Dumbo Improvement District argues that an increase in residents would help businesses in the area. CB2′s Land Use Committee on March 19th, 2009 voted 8-6 to disapprove the rezoning. The Community Board is only advisory, and the Borough President Markowitz will vote on the plan for the City Planning Commission.

Are you for or against the proposed rezoning of Dumbo?

• Against
• For

View Results

{Rezoning is the elephant in the room in DUMBO, Brooklyn Paper}
{Dumbo Rezoning Plan Hearing Results, 20Mar2009}
{Dumbo Rezoning Public Hearing, 18Mar2009}
{Dumbo Rezoning Proposal on the Table, 19Feb2009}