Two coffee bars are opening in Dumbo on the corner of Jay and John Street. The Dumbo businesses and entrepreneurs will appreciate the additional coffee options. The Brooklyn Roasting Company Cafe will be opening within two weeks at 25 Jay Street. The coffee bar features a “French Roast-toned blackened and waxed steel countertop and hand-milled teak bar face”. The bar has a 360 degree view of the roasters and will serve snacks, sandwiches, and light lunch. Brooklyn Roasting Co (“BRC”) is also launching three mini-cafes aboard the new NY Waterways Ferries. NY Waterways is offering free travel for its first two weeks of operation and BRC is serving commuters free coffee during the same period.

Also opening later is an espresso bar in the former Priviledged clothing boutique space at 14 Jay Street (which is part of the 20 Jay Street building shown below). We don’t have the name yet, but will report back once we have details.

We’ve taste tested the coffee in Dumbo, and looking forward to some more options for espressos in Dumbo.

Brooklyn Roasting Company (brooklynroasting.com)
25 Jay Street, Brooklyn, New York 11201

Following the prior announcement of the free Dumbo wi-fi last week, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), Polytechnic Institute of New York University (NYU-Poly), and Two Trees Management today announced a new City-sponsored business incubator to support the development of technology startup businesses in Brooklyn. The DUMBO Incubator, located at 20 Jay Street – one block from Brooklyn Bridge Park – will accommodate technology entrepreneurs in the downtown Brooklyn neighborhood and across New York City over the next three years and is expected to be fully operational by the fall of 2011. NYCEDC provided a $250,000 grant to establish the incubator, the ninth sponsored by the City as part of a plan to encourage entrepreneurship within a variety of economic sectors. NYCEDC President Seth W. Pinsky and Tucker Reed, Director of Special Projects at Two Trees Management Company, announced the DUMBO incubator during an Internet Week NY panel on the City’s “Digital Corridors.”

Dumbo will be the ninth incubator in NYC and NYU-Poly signed a three-year lease for 6,440 sqft with Two Trees Management. The Incubator space will provide approximately 30 dedicated workstations, and additional co-working stations, targeted to New York City-based startup businesses and entrepreneurs across various industries, including financial services, media, green, bioscience, and fashion, with a focus on technology. Tenants will be able to access educational programming and services, such as business counseling sessions, workshops, and networking events on relevant topics. Two Trees principal Jed Walentas noted that “Many of the startup businesses in DUMBO such as Etsy, Carrot Creative, Huge, Brooklyn Digital Foundry, Big Spaceship, and SawHorse Media, which hosts the annual Shorty Awards for best Twitter content, have grown tremendously, while other digital and creative businesses continue to be drawn to our ‘state-of-the art’ community.” This is great news for Digital Dumbo and New York Digital District.

(note: Sawhorse Media is no longer in Dumbo. However, the Shorty Awards did start in Dumbo and founder Gregory Galant is still involved in the Dumbo tech community.)

Read the full press release in PDF format here (153kb).

Episode 4: Michael Feigin (Fitness Guru)
Directed by Matt Weckel
Created by David Castillo
Produced by Blue Barn Pictures, Inc. for DumboNYC on vimeo

Michael Feigin MS, CSCS has been a leader in the fitness industry for over 20 years, as a personal trainer, group fitness instructor and nutritionist. He is the co-owner of The Fitness Guru, a fitness center in Dumbo. Michael also hosts waterfront workouts at the Brooklyn Bridge Park and the Health and Fitness blogger for NBC-NY.

Crossing Dumbo, a web series of video portraits of artists, entrepreneurs and residents in Dumbo Brooklyn. This is a collaboration between DumboNYC and our talented friends over at Blue Barn Pictures. Different directors from Blue Barn Pictures, a creative content agency, bring their own approach to each interview to create a distinct profile of the person being interviewed and place them within the Dumbo community. The people at Blue Barn Pictures truly love what they do and support the community in a positive way, and for that we’re grateful to have them be a part of Dumbo.

{DumboNYC.com/category/crossing-dumbo/}

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The creators of 192 Water Street are welcoming the neighborhood to preview the loft spaces and enjoy some light fare on Thursday 6/9 at the building. Dumbo-based developer Alloy Development with partner Hamlin Ventures wanted to offer local residents the opportunity to check out the space before launching publically. Check
192water.com for more information.

The event will take place between 5:30 and 9:30 on Thursday 6/9. RSVPs should be directed to Dana Frankel, dfrankel@192water.com.

Previously:
{New Owner of 192 Water Street Begins Redevelopment, 03May2011}

US Senator Charles Schumer kicked off Internet Week NY 2011 this morning with a keynote speech. In his speech, he mentions Dumbo as a place for internet companies to thrive as part of the NY Digital District, and could incubate “the next Google or the next Facebook”. Last week, free wireless connectivity was made possible through a deal between Two Trees Management, Dumbo’s largest real estate developer, NYC Wireless and the DUMBO Business Improvement District.

This is what Senator Charles Schumer had to say:

“To me, the perfect example of the transformation of this sector in New York is what is happening right across the East River, in Dumbo. Fifteen years ago, Dumbo was a community of warehouses and underused industrial buildings, many of which had been languishing for decades. Now, it is one of the most vibrant mixed used neighborhoods in the city. It is a neighborhood transformed. And what is the main industry in Dumbo? Internet companies. The largest employer is Huge, a company that builds digital platforms for some of the biggest companies in the world, and has over 300 employees in Brooklyn. At the same time, there are more and more small start ups and midsized companies that have found affordable collaborative work spaces, creating exactly the sort of synergies that give rise to companies with similar growth potential. I wasn’t surprised when last week when it was announced that the first public wi-fi network in the city is in Dumbo. And I would not be surprised if the next Google or the next Facebook is born in one of these Dumbo buildings.”

Thanks to DUMBO Business Improvement District for the tip.

Dumbo Brooklyn First to Offer Free Wireless Access, 02Jun2011

From our friends at Abundant Learning:

The Abundant Learning Academy for Advanced Tots (Summer Program)

Like most parents, you probably think your smarty pants is well, pretty darned smart! If you are struggling to find a pre-K learning platform which is stimulating and nurturing for your precocious toddler, Abundant Learning has a very special learning opportunity for your child.

Many preschool early learning programs are geared towards socialization and setting the foundations of literacy, numbers, physical interaction, music and art. For children who have mastered some or all of these early learning hurdles, it can be very challenging to find new ways to stimulate and build on your child’s nascent love of learning.

If you believe your almost 3-5 year old has shown some signs of being an early learner- for example, has mastered their ABCs, shows some early signs of reading, facility with counting or is exceptionally verbal and able to think and express himself abstractly, he or she may be ready for Dumbo Einsteins!

Abundant Learning has designed a Summer Program focused on two key modules in support of math/numbers and art/literacy, combined in a June through August program which fits with most Summer Camp plans. The math/numbers module will be taught in a game format to teach Chess. Chess is known to be a mathematical game which encourages non linear and abstract thinking and problem solving. Jason Ciano is experienced with introducing children to this exciting lifetime of learning and gamesmanship. The advantages of this program include small exclusive group lessons where we are able to track tangible progress in lessons. Jason uses a proven lesson plan and light homework to create deep connections within our students’ brains.

The literacy/art module will combine early reading skills with a weekly art project that goes way beyond finger paints! On the literacy front, Elizabeth Craynon Frank will use multimedia tools to focus on vocabulary development and executive functioning skills and tie the written word to the weekly art exploration taught by Yolanda Blue. The art projects will entail mask making, printmaking, drawing, painting, and crafts that will culminate in a cumulative project which merges various aspects of the literacy theme for the summer. The goal of the literacy art project is to challenge our 3-5 year old’s by scaffolding their comfort with ABC’s and early word recognition and learning skills into full fledged reading activities in well in advance of when most schools (public or private) will actively teach reading. Writing and letter formation will fall naturally from both the reading and art modules.

Our small group size of 6 students allows for individualized attention and personalized instruction. The learning environment is specifically designed to help advanced students feel empowered to express themselves in deep and meaning full ways.

Classes will be two days a week on Mondays and Wednesdays at 12:15- 1:15pm as follows:
Chess/Math: June 20, 27, July 11, 18, 25, August 1, 8, 15
Art/Literacy: July 13, 20, 27, August 3, 10, 17
Class cost is $350.00 for the summer session
Contact Liz Craynon Frank at 917-727-8839 or via email at liz@abundantlearning.org with questions and to sign up today! Very limited space is available.

Related:
{Summer Programs for Kids in Dumbo, 16May2011}

(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):

• In DUMBO, Cachet Trumps Convenience, 27May11, BK Mag
• BP Markowitz Announce Free WiFi Service in Dumbo, 02Jun11, BBP
• East River Ferry Sets Launch Date, Initial Fare of $0, 02Jun11, LMag
• Dumbo’s Parks, Plazas Fully Wired, 02Jun11, NYO
• St. Ann’s Warehouse Scrambles to Find New Home, 03Jun11, NYT
• DUMBO is city’s first all-Wi Fi neighborhood, 03Jun11, BK Paper
• St. Ann’s Warehouse Faces Homelessness After Court Injunction, 03Jun11, Playbill
• Gothamist Lease 3000sqft at 20 Jay St, 02Jun11, Crains
• On Location Tours Brooklyn TV & Movie Sites tour, 01Jun11, PRNews
• Get Ready for New East River Ferry Service, 01Jun11, BK Eagle
• DUMBO The First NYC Neighborhood To Get Wi-Fi, 02Jun11, HuffPo
• Free Wi-Fi Access Coming To DUMBO, 02Jun11, NY1
• Dumbo Beats Manhattan to Free WiFi, 03Jun11, ADWEEK
• Volleyball, Food Court for Brooklyn Bridge Park, 31May11, Brownstoner
• Brooklyn Bridge Jumper Rescued Moments Ago, 29May11, Brownstoner

“the view from the bottom of an awesome conduit-laden staircase, at the Cadman Plaza East entrance to High St station (A, C) in Brooklyn.”

(Photo by mementosis)

The First Thursday Dumbo Gallery Walk is tonight, Thursday, June 2, between 6-9pm. The gallery walk is free. Also tonight (starting around 5pm), there will be two food trucks near The Archway (around the Pearl Street Triangle): Souvlaki GR (Twitter: @souvlakitruck) and Desi Food Truck (Twittter: @DesiFoodTruck).

Check gallery websites or dumboculture411.com for updates. (1st Thursdays DUMBO Gallery Walk flyer with details (PDF))

DUMBO Business Improvement District (BID), Two Trees Management Company, and NYCwireless announce that Dumbo is now New York City’s first neighborhood to offer wireless internet access on streets, in its parks and plazas. DUMBO Wi-Fi is made possible by a public-private partnership between the neighborhood’s largest real estate holder, Two Trees, and the entity most directly responsible for guiding the development of public space in the Dumbo community, the Dumbo BID.

“We are encouraging people to step out of their offices and homes and engage with one another and the neighborhood in new and different ways,” said Alexandria Sica, Executive Director of the Dumbo BID. “Dumbo is the epicenter for digital start-ups and production companies. Wi-Fi is one more way to inspire the workforce we have and help attract new talent to the Brooklyn Waterfront. In DUMBO, you can put together a proposal while gazing at the Brooklyn Bridge and all of Manhattan. Creativity can literally flow into the streets. Businesses will be born in Brooklyn Bridge Park. The next Etsy could be thought up right under the Manhattan Bridge!”

The building, installation, and maintenance of the Wi-Fi network is executed by NYCwireless, a non-profit organizations that builds, supports, and advocates for free, public Wi-Fi Internet access in New York City.

Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz was in Dumbo today for the announcement at The Archway. He said, “For the first time in New York City, an entire area has become a hot spot – a haven for bloggers, Tweeters, emailers, Facebookers and everyone else who thrives on the internet. One day, mark my words, this area will rival Silicon Valley in terms of high tech ingenuity – so it’s only natural that Dumbo is the first neighborhood to be truly connected 24/7.”

The Dumbo BID has provided free wifi at the Brooklyn Bridge Park (Main Street Lot) since 2006 and was the first Brooklyn park to do so. Today’s announcement by the Dumbo BID may pave the way for the 64 other Business Improvement Districts in NYC to offer internet access for their residents and businesses.

{Using Internet Outside? In Part of Brooklyn, Free Wireless Access Arrives, 02june2011, NYTimes}
{Press release from Two Trees (610kb PDF file)}