Galapagos Art Space and Flavorpill presents:
Career Camp, Session 2: THE FUTURE OF GREEN
Tuesday, August 11th, 2009, Doors at 6pm | Start at 7pm
Tickets $5; purchase at tiny.cc/careercamp2

Happy Hour from 6-7pm features 2-for-1 “Happy Camper” Cocktails & FREE haircuts available by the Galapagos resident hairstylist all evening!

Lecturers for The Future of Green include:

• Mark Alt, President and Creative Director, Marc Alt + Partners
• Amanda McDonald Crowley, Executive Director of EyeBeam
• Rick Thompson, COO of GreenTech Media
• Chris Garvin, Co-chair of the Committee of the Environment (COTE) for AIA-NY, COO of Terrapin Bright Green

and moderated by Liz Danzico, Chair of the MFA in Interaction Design program at the School of Visual Arts. Representatives from Mediabistro will also be present as well as Wicked Delicate’s TRUCK FARM!

Responding to the need for discussion, meaningful interaction, and a means to act upon ideas within a community of local professionals, Career Camp brings together industry-leading thinkers and next wave ideas in order to stimulate discussion, sharpen skills, and illuminate what comes next. Whether you have a job or not, want sharpen your skills, or simply learn more about an area that interests you, bring your thinking cap and your business cards! More info at: http://galapagosartspace.com/events.html#081109

Apparantly the 124 unit One Main Street building is so exclusive that it has two penthouse units on the market. The first one is the 14th floor, two bedroom 3208 sq.ft. condo that was previously Brooklyn’s most expensive condo at $7million has been listed at $8.5million ($890/mo RE tax, $2061/mo maintenance). The other penthouse, THE penthouse at One Main, is the one featured in NY Times this weekend is on the market for $25million. The photos of this condo look incredible.

Here are the stats:

• A triplex penthouse apartment at 1 Main Street in Dumbo for $25million (more than double the highest price known to have been paid for a home in Brooklyn.)
• Four 14 foot high round clocks
• A glass-walled elevator and a three-story floating staircase at the center of the space
• Main Floor: 3,000 square foot main floor with 16 foot high ceilings
• Second Floor: 2,300 square foot, three bedrooms
• Third Floor: 988-square-foot open loft with a 15-foot ceilings
• Top “crow’s nest”: A staircase that goes to the top of the building.

NY Times has some photos in a slideshow here. We saw the solarium (crow’s nest) built in early 2008. The photos and views from the condo are probably the best views money can buy for a private residence in Brooklyn and arguably in NYC.

This is a unit you can’t compare, but just for fun, if you combine the 18 penthouse units in 70 Washington, you could have purchased them all for $28million which would give you over 22,000 sq.ft. and $11,000 per month maintenance fees. Mr. Walentas mentions that this is “one-of-a-kind space that would appeal only to a one-of-a-kind buyer.” Will you buy it?

{1 Main Street Rooftop Solarium, 25Jan2008}
{High Priced Condos at One Main Under Contract, 26Mar2008}
{One Main PH Sale Sets New Brooklyn Record, 06May2008}

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

• Gearing up for Art Under The Bridge Fest, 05Aug09, slightlyoverexposed.com
• Picnic at Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park, 01Aug09, 92 Days of Summer
• A monster in DUMBO?, 02Aug09, BHB
• Photos from a Hectic, Umbrella-Spotted Shoot, 02Aug09, 12films12weeks
• Dog Map of Dumbo, 02Aug09, neointhecity
• Filming Locations, 05Aug09, celebsession
• Desk for Rent in Dumbo, 05Aug09, swiss-miss.com
• Quite a Set of Choppers In DUMBO, 06Aug09, McBrooklyn
• Lincoln Center Subway Entrance in DUMBO?, 06Aug09, Gothamist
• DUMBO biz Brainstorm and Scorsese team up, 04Aug09, NY Daily News
• Fight Night Under the Manhattan Bridge, 03Aug09, Gothamist
• DUMBO Rezoning Passed Amid Mixed Reviews, 03Aug09, Brooklyn Eagle
• Could Streetcars Be Returning to Brooklyn? , 04Aug09, Brooklyn Eagle
• Spike Lee Directs Rocawear Commercial w Jay-Z in Dumbo, 05Aug09, Limewire
• Kids Learn About Brooklyn’s Waterfront, 06Aug09, Brooklyn Eagle
• Miso Sushi in Dumbo review, 04Aug09, Brownstoner

Not that anyone didn’t see this coming, but notice how marketing and PR is hitting Dumbo hard? We’ve seen the tour buses on Old Fulton and on Front Street. The tourist guides in Brooklyn Bridge Park. The streetart and photo walks. We’ve seen press from Japan, UK, Germany, Canada, Scotland, and Australia among others that shows how Dumbo is “THE place to be in NYC” for a Brooklyn experience, but recently, you’ve seen street marketing and promotions hitting the streets of Dumbo in hopes of reaching a certain demographic.

(Illy Coffee campaign in front of 111 Front St Art Galleries)

Street marketing, often called “guerrilla marketing” is used to get the name out and advertising a brand with little or no money. It can be a creative and imaginative way of replacing or supplementing an ad campaign. Done effectively, it can reach a specific target audience or community. We asked one of the recent street marketing folks (not one of the pictured ones here) and asked, “Why Dumbo?” Asked to remain anonymous, they said, “Dumbo is a perfect place for street marketing with a good mix of residential, business, and of course the creative community. We [Ed: the advertising firm] felt with Dumbo being a high income demographic, they are smarter about innovative marketing vs conventional advertising. Our product campaign was perfect for this type of marketing. Dumbo also has the high condo and rent pries, so they’re more likely to buy our products.” In a way, you can say that underground street culture and artists were tuned into the Dumbo art scene long before any ‘corporation’ was and was not about ‘reaching a demographic’. But as a resident and one who appreciates art/culture, we hope this doesn’t go the way of a SoHo or West Village that brings a Banana Republic store because that’s who they’re targeting. Obviously we don’t see that happening.

But one that got us scratching our heads is the above bike photo (Thanks mikemookie for this one). Rather than being snarky and say that this is an idea that won’t work over the Belgian block streets of Dumbo, create your own caption in the comments (our readers are much more creative than we are). For the PR people out there, does this sort of marketing work in Dumbo?

(Simply Orange Juice giveaway on Front/Washington Street)

(Tour bus stop for Front Street Pizza)

(Photo courtesy of danlatorre)

Dumbo was fortunate to have Schnitzel Truck come to Dumbo a few times last week and even got good press in the NY Times for their Austrian-style chicken, pork and cod. Twitter followers of @schnitzeltruck get word from them on the location and times (they usually will park on Front Street either at Washington Street or Adams Street). Now they’ve told us that Dumbo will be a regular stop on Fridays. Great news for schnitzel lovers and another good lunch option. They will be in Dumbo (location not set yet) from around 11am today.

Chicken schnitzel sandwich (Photo courtesy of Josh Derr)

In addition to Schnitzel Fridays, Dumbo now has Rickshaw Dumplings on Mondays (follow @RickshawTruck on Twitter).

Pork schnitzel w/ Austrian potato salad and beet & feta salad (Photo courtesy of qbertplaya)

Tonight, August 6, 2009 at 76 Front Street in Dumbo Brooklyn, join Collective Art for their third artist showcase and wine reception. It will be held from 6pm-10pm.

collectiveart.org

TONIGHT: A festive occasion each month for art lovers. A chance to visit many quality galleries at night in the Dumbo Historic District – galleries showing works from artists of many disciplines, especially photography, while hosting receptions, producing live music performances and curator/artist talks among other highlights.

Let’s not forget the incredible views you can enjoy as you walk from one gallery to the next and the local drink specials afterward. Most of the art is for sale. Printed maps and 1st Thursday cards are available on-site.

Participating galleries may vary each month. For more information contact Zannah Mass at zannah@twotrees-dumbo.com or 718-222-2500 x38.

Check gallery websites for updates.
A.I.R. Gallery, 111 Front St., Suite 228
Amos Eno Gallery, 111 Front St., Suite 202
Brooklyn Art Project, 5 Front St.
Brooklyn Arts Council, 111 Front St., Suite 218
Caption Gallery, 55 Washington St., Suite 802
DUMBO Arts Center, 30 Washington St.
Farmani Gallery, 111 Front St., Suite 212
Henry Gregg Gallery, 111 Front St., Suite 226
Klompching Gallery, 111 Front St.
Kris Graves Gallery, 111 Front St., Suite 224
Magasin Totale, 10 Jay St., Suite 724
Melville House, 145 Plymouth St.
Pochron Studios, 20 Jay St.
Powerhouse Books & Powerhouse Arena, 37 Main St.
Rabbithole Studio, 33 Washington St.
Randall Scott Gallery, 111 Front St., Suite 204
Smack Mellon, 93 Plymouth St. @ Washington Street
Spring, 126a Front St.
Umbrage Gallery, 111 Front St.
VII Photo, 28 Jay St.
Watermill Brooklyn Gallery, 55 Washington Street, Suite 216

The Dumbo Mural by Tattfoo Tan was removed by the Department of Transportation yesterday morning. The mural was installed in 2008 and was a colorful addition to what was otherwise a bare metal wall, an appropriate place for it, given the history of artists in the neighborhood. The Dumbo Improvement District commissioned the artwork and coordinated the installation with the artist and the DOT.

We contacted the Dumbo Improvement District to see what’s up with the space. They mentioned to us that they will keep the mural in Dumbo and are working on getting a new space for it. They also said that they will soon begin the fundraising and logistical process to site a new piece of art on the Front Street fence.

In an email from Tattfoo, he says to us:

“I had a great time working with DUMBO BID, PS307 and DOT and like to thank them and the residents of DUMBO for the opportunity. I hope to be able to be back in DUMBO soon and work on other new projects that I’m doing now like, “Mobile Garden”, “Black Gold” “S.O.S” which is all inline with NMS mural. Lastly, do “Remember to take your daily dose of color”.”

When we snapped the pics, the mural was being stored away in the 55 Washington St building. Any suggestions on where to place the mural?

{Dumbo Mural by Tattfoo and PS307 Children on Front Street, 29Feb2008}
{tattfoo.com}

(Photo courtesy of chrispescia)

Filming today/tomorrow (Aug 5-6) for “Morning Glory” in Dumbo Brooklyn on Front Street between Main and Dock Streets and Water and Old Fulton Streets.

According to The Brooklyn Beat, Morning Glory is a comedy with a star-studded cast including Rachel McAdams (The Notebook, Wedding Crashers), Patrick Wilson (Watchmen, Little Children), Harrison Ford, Jeff Goldblum, Diane Keaton and 50 Cent.

As we mentioned earlier, Spike Lee is directing a commercial for Rocawear, starring Jay-Z. Below are a few pics…happening now (12:15pm) on Main Street:

“Spike Lee filming Jay-Z outside the Arena as we speak” (PowerHouse Arena)

“Jay-Z commercial being shot in Dumbo” (Brownstoner)

“Jay-Z filming an advert with new DUMBO resident Spike Lee” (PowerHouse Arena) [ED: Spike's production company is based in Dumbo, but don't think he lives in Dumbo.]

Search for more on Twitter.

Main Street in Dumbo

Spike Lee

Spike Lee (pictured in the center with the NY Yankees cap)