Walking through Cadman Plaza Park, you see kids with their parents/nannys, dog walkers, joggers, and residents enjoying the green space and sports field throughout the year. It’s a welcome spot to walk through despite the busy Tillary Street to the south and the Brooklyn Bridge exit ramp to the north. Adjacent to Cadman Plaza on the east (just south of the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) building), the city has been re-developing a 2.9 acre area called Walt Whitman Park which is scheduled for completion in the Spring of 2012 (prior update by McBrooklyn here and the Brooklyn Eagle article on the $4.5M renovation project). But residents of Brooklyn didn’t always have a Cadman Plaza Park. In 1883, Sands Street Terminal was completed in the area now occupied by Cadman Plaza and with Fulton El Terminal, was one of the major arteries and stations for the Brooklyn elevated trains. The Brooklyn Bridge carried passengers from Manhattan to Brooklyn on tracks and the Brooklyn Station was once a majestic elevated train station, only two blocks from Dumbo’s 70 Washington Street.

By the late 1800s and early 1900s, the station was believed to service “tens of thousands” of passengers pass through daily, according to one neighbor who’s family has lived in the area for 2 generations. (If anyone has a published reference, please comment below.) In 1908, the subway construction began, which paved the way for the removal of the elevated tracks. By 1910, the Fulton El Terminal was removed. In 1931, the decision to redevelop the station into a public space was made and thus began the dismantling of the station. Most of Sands Street Elevated Terminal was taken down in 1939. The metal and materials were reused for World War II and streets were reconfigured for the transition from trolleys and carriages to automobiles. By 1939, the park was completed and named Cadman Plaza Park and now occupies 10.384 acres of land. In total there were 21 acres of land cleared, 125 buildings razed, and cost of improvement was $4.5M or $70M in 2010 dollars.

According to the NY City Department of Parks and Recreation, the park “honors Reverend Dr. Samuel Parkes Cadman (1864-1936), a Brooklyn Congregational minister and radio preacher famed for his oratory. He was pastor of the Central Congregational Church in Brooklyn for 36 years and helped to found the Federated Council of Churches in America, which he headed from 1924-1928.” The northern end of Cadman Plaza Park houses a statue of William Jay Gaynor (1829-1913). Gaynor was mayor of New York City from 1910-1913. The southern end is a Korean War Veterans Plaza memorial.

Brooklyn Heights Blog published a nice video ‘montage’ (created by BHB’s Karl Junkersfeld) about the park history. Below are some additional historical photos. Next time you walk through Cadman Plaza park, you can see the scale of the former station and imagine what used to be the track noise above and people getting on and off the Sands Street Station.

 [+] (Photo: 1931, courtesy wired new york)

 [+] (Photo: 1898, courtesy of MCNY)

 [+] (Photo: Brooklyn Bridge Station, undated, courtesy of MCNY)

 [+] (Photo: 1943, courtesy of Gothamist. Notice the tracks ending on the right side as a result of the elevated station being discontinued)

{Dumbo Then and Now, series, DumboNYC}

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

• Lawsuits Over the Tobacco Warehouse, 25Jan11, BK Eagle
• Eagle Warehouse 28 Old Fulton St, 26Jan11, Brownstoner
• Etiquette Unraveled, Presented by ONE ARM RED, 27Jan11, BK Eagle
• DOJ Calls for Review of Tobacco Warehouse, 28Jan11, LMag
• Tobacco Warehouse Conversion Opponents Win, For Now, 28Jan11, Curbed
• Digital DUMBO 2nd Birthday, 28Jan11, JAOLM
• DUMBO Dads! Meetup, 25Jan11, Meetup
• Mark Batty Publisher Moves to Dumbo, 27Jan11, comicswait
• Verge Art Brooklyn, 25Jan11, Flavorpill
• DigitalDumbo: Meet Kaitlin Villanova and Andrew Zarick, 25Jan11, Brownstoner
• http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/26040, 25Jan11, BHB
• Gramercy Flowers Coming to Dumbo, 27Jan11, Brownstoner
• Tenant growth in Dumbo, 27Jan11, Brownstoner

Our friends at Blanc et Rouge (81 Washington Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201) sent us some sad community news that Humphrey Oguda, a neighbor, resident, friend, and fixture in Dumbo passed away this week. Here’s what Josh, the owner of Blanc et Rouge sent us:

Humphrey Oguda passed away earlier this week. Humphrey has been a neighborhood fixture for over a decade, having been at B&R since very close to the begining. He is a friend to many in the neighborhood and will be sorely missed by all those whose lives he enriched with his humor, his warmth and the great passions he loved to share (wine, photography, music and on and on).

There will be a get-together on Friday (tonight) at A.O.C. (314 Bleeker, corner of Grove), at 8pm to have a drink and remember Humphrey. His family is also endeavoring to to make arrangements to come from Kenya and organize a wake. We will share details as they become available. Anyone who would like to help the family in that effort should feel free to speak with Josh or Paul at B&R.

If you knew Humphrey and would like to help his family, please stop by Blanc et Rouge to share your support. Tonight’s gathering is at A.O.C. (314 Bleeker Street) at 8pm. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Oguda family.

(Photo by Humphrey Oguda)

Here’s a nice (just released) promo video of the Dumbo Arts Festival 2010. The 2011 dates for the Dumbo Arts Festival have been announced: Friday, September 23 through Sunday, September 25, 2011. Stay tuned for submission updates, applications, deadlines, and criteria.

Previously:
{2010 Dumbo Arts Festival Announced, 10May2010}
{Dumbo Arts Festival, 25Sept2010}
{Dumbo Arts Festival 2010 Images, 27Sept2010}
{Dumbo Arts Fest 2010 Winners Announced, 29Sept2010}

(Photo by komielan)

According to accuweather.com, there is a winter storm warning in effect until 6am Thursday, Jan 27, 2011. Accumulations of 8-12 inches of snow. (We’re stuck out of town and will return soon!) If you have any great photos, be sure to add them to the DumboNYC Flickr pool.

Water Street Restaurant has a new menu selection of southern-inspired cuisine. The new menu includes southern dishes like shrimp and grits, slow-cooked ribs, deviled eggs, fried chicken, and Chef Reggie’s homemade crab cakes and “lobster puffpie”. Desserts include sweet potato and pecan pie, or Red Hook’s Authentic Steve’s key lime pie.

If anyone has tried the new dishes, let us know what you think in the comments below.

Water Street Restaurant
66 Water Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: 718-625-9352

This is a few weeks old, as we Tweeted about this before, but the Bosch Showroom in Dumbo has closed. The former high end kitchen appliance space has high ceilings and is a space that Two Trees Management would consider a restaurant, according to the leasing staff at Two Trees. The other side of the building is home to Bubby’s Restaurant, so a restaurant space in the former Bosch showroom would be a nice (much needed) food option addition in Dumbo.

What would you like to see go into the space?

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

• Powerless in Brooklyn, 21Jan11, NYT
• Athena Calderone Growth Chart, 19Jan11, NYT
• 70 Washington St, #8M, #1.35M, 1384sqft, 19Jan11, Brownstoner
• Where to Eat: Vinegar Hill House, 17Jan11, Becoming Brooklyn
• Critics of Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Tobacco Warehouse Armed w Emails, 19Jan11, NYDN
• Groups Fight Privatization of Historic Building, 18Jan11, Courthouse News
• Buses Away From Brooklyn Bridge Park, 18Jan11, BK Paper
• Long Live Silicon Beach, 19Jan11, NYMag
• DUMBO’s Tobacco Warehouse Faces Two Lawsuits, 18Jan11, NY1
• Details on the RFP for Pier 6 Restaurant, 19Jan11, Brownstoner

First, Fortune Magazine featured Dumbo’s “Silicon Beach”, and the New York Observer followed with this piece this week. Not sure what I think about the name Silicon Beach, but like that people are noticing the great companies, services, and products coming from Dumbo or Gairville or Digital Dumbo or NY Digital District or whatever name is given to the small 10 block area under the bridges.

By the way, the article states that “City Hall officialy named the area New York’s Digital District.” When did that happen? I must’ve missed the note, because I don’t remember Marty Markowitz making this official.

The NY Observer visits 1 Main St, 45 Main St, 16 Main St (Galapagos), 55 Washington St, 38 Water St (St. Ann’s Warehouse), 215 Water St, 56 Water and St (Jane’s Carousel).

See their slideshow.

Jan Larsen’s JLA Studios in Dumbo has closed. Jan has been one of the biggest advocates of Dumbo and its artist culture. He has been showcasing art work in the Dumbo studio since 2000 and not only curated a great mix of emerging and established art, but also worked with charities and organizations to host events at the studios. Over the past decade, we’ve seen many changes in the galleries and retail locations, but we’re truly sad to see JLA close. He’s always gracious and welcomes community involvement. According to Jan, in an email to us, the reasons for the closure include a lackluster recovery of the fine art market due to a tough economic environment, but is appreciative of how Dumbo has supported JLA over the years.

Jan continues to represent artists but no longer has the Dumbo studio open. Jan’s newsletters, events, promotions, and friendly studio will be missed for sure. Thank you and best wishes to Jan.

(Google Maps: 63 Pearl Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201)