Pete’s Downtown restaurant at 2 Water Street (next to Ignazio’s Pizza and across The River Cafe) has closed, according to a worker who has emailed us. Brooklyn Eagle first reported that the restaurant is not only closed, but it has cleared its space, after being open since the 1980s. It’s too bad for a restaurant that has been a fixture in the neighborhood for a long time. Pete’s served Italian food with popular dishes like penne vodka, baked ravioli, veal parmigiana, and shrimp scampi, according to online review websites.

Calls were not returned, and there are no updates on its Twitter (@petesdowntown) or Facebook pages, and their website, petesdowntown.com is offline.

According to a Fulton Ferry resident, Pete Thristino the owner has told patrons that the lease was not renewed, and the landlord is seeking a high end restaurant to take over the space. The location is a prime space, given the view of the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan skyline, and would attract a higher lease. A restaurant there would make a lot of ‘friends’ from residents in the area if the food quality is high, but is also a destination location for outer borough visitors.

The Brooklyn Eagle writes: “Pete’s was one of the first businesses to move into the area after it began to be redeveloped. The first signs of this redevelopment came in 1977, when BargeMusic and the River Café opened. Pete Thristino, owner of the restaurant, told this reporter in a 2008 interview that even in the early 1980s, “This was known as an area that when it snowed, there were no footprints…The building, on the corner of Water Street, was known as the Franklin House Hotel in the mid-1800s. It was an important hotel and restaurant in the days before the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, when the ferry area was the gateway to Manhattan and visiting merchants, clerks, seamen and farmers needed someplace to stay.”

Pete’s Downtown (Closed as of Dec 29, 2011)
2 Water Street (at Old Fulton Street), Brooklyn, NY 11201

Happy Holidays from DumboNYC! Hope you had a great year and hope 2012 will bring you joy.

[DumboNYC.com is taking a vacation. In the meantime, take a look at some photos of Dumbo (in the DumboNYC Flickr Pool) or submit a story or event about Dumbo. We'll be back next week.]

If you haven’t subscribed to Brooklyn Magazine and you’re a fan of Brooklyn, I recommend it for the articles. In the latest issue (Winter 2011), there’s an article about Brian Leth, Vinegar Hill House’s executive chef since 2009. We love the fresh ingredients in the dishes there, so it makes sense that writer Aleksa Brown follows him one day from the farmer’s market to the restaurant to watch him create one of his signature dishes, day boat hake. Vinegar Hill House is one of our favorite things around Dumbo. Dinners are well known, but they have an excellent brunch on the weekends too.

Brooklyn Magazine also has a “Neighborhood Power Rankings” piece. There are more than 20 neighborhoods in Brooklyn, but they also mean this to be a fun tongue-in-cheek way to show what’s going on in certain neighborhoods. Their disclaimer: “A 100 percent true and scientific analysis based on various and sundry criteria.”

They said this about Dumbo in this issue: “The repaving of Washington Street with new Belgian blocks is finally, finally finishing up, but now Phase II begins: more street work on Front Street near York, and the demapping of Anchorage Place to enlarge the Pearl Street Triangle.”

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Ok, go subscribe at Brooklyn Magazine.

NY Casa Group would like to take a moment to wish all our Dumbo neighbors the warmest thoughts and best wishes for a wonderful holiday and a happy new year. Thank you for making us your preferred real estate agency. It will be our pleasure to continue servicing you in 2012. Our doors are always open, feel free to stop by with any of your Real Estate needs or questions. Visit us in Dumbo, 102 Front street, or come by our Manhattan office, located at 48 Wall Street 11th floor.

Wednesday, December 21, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and State Senator Daniel Squadron joined Brooklyn elected officials and community and business leaders to rally in support of the New York University and Polytechnic Institute proposal for an applied sciences campus at 370 Jay Street in Downtown Brooklyn. Creating a hub for science and technology that connects the budding tech community in Dumbo and the surrounding neighborhoods with NYU-Poly’s proposed Center for Urban Science and Progress, as well as City Tech and Poly’s existing campuses would be a major step for Brooklyn and Dumbo’s NY Digital District and Digital Dumbo.

NYC is aiming to build a world class applied sciences and engineering campus, called Applied Sciences NYC at Roosevelt Island to be competitive with other tech centers such as Silicon Valley. Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Cornell University, and Technion-Israel Institute of Technology announced an historic partnership to build a two-million-square-foot applied science and engineering campus on Roosevelt Island in New York City. (also on NYTimes).

In addition to the Applied Sciences NYC, building on Dumbo’s tech community will attract and retain the creative entrepreneurs that will drive innovation for NYC. Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz said in a statement, “With today’s announcement behind us, let’s now look ahead to the new year and make the case that New York deserves more than one first-rate applied sciences school and that serious consideration be given to New York University’s partnership with Polytech proposed for 370 Jay Street in Downtown Brooklyn—home to more college students than Cambridge, Massachusetts—as well as Carnegie Mellon’s plans for the Brooklyn Navy Yard, which along with DUMBO, is part of our borough’s emerging new Silicon Valley. Both locations offer a unique opportunity to create a job-creating epicenter of learning, research and innovation. I normally don’t celebrate Brooklyn being a runner-up in anything, but considering the importance of this center to the future of Brooklyn and New York City, in this case I would happily make an exception.”

Dumbo Improvement District Executive Director Alexandria Sica added, “DUMBO is home to more than one hundred technology firms, digital and creative start-ups that are growing—some at a faster pace than there is talent available. NYU-Poly’s proposal for 370 Jay Street would provide these companies with a highly skilled workforce in their backyard. Furthermore, having an applied sciences school at 370 Jay Street will help DUMBO and the greater Downtown Brooklyn area to continue to grow as a location for tech-based companies that choose to be here around like-minded companies and innovators.”

The Wall Street Journal published an article on Dumbo’s tech yesterday. The article mentions “Tech startups and digital advertising companies have flocked to Dumbo throughout the past decade, drawn to the neighborhood’s industrial lofts that eschew Midtown’s buttoned-down culture. Now Dumbo’s tech scene is about to get bigger.” Polytechnic Institute of New York University will open a new incubator in Dumbo that could house as many as 20 small companies at 20 Jay Street. With innovation fueld by the intersection of creativity, media, and technology in Brooklyn, the community should be looking forward to more private and public partnerships.

(Photo by Kathryn Kirk)

Marty Markowitz and Mayor Bloomberg officially opened the downtown Brooklyn location of Shake Shack today. For those in Dumbo, it is a 15 minute walk (Walking directions from Dumbo to Shake Shack on Google Maps). They are open 7 days a week from 11am-11pm.

From the Brooklyn Borough President’s office:
On Tuesday, December 20, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz joined Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group, elected officials and hungry patrons for the ribbon cutting and official grand opening of Brooklyn’s first Shake Shack at 409 Fulton Street in Downtown Brooklyn.

“Foodies rejoice – the wait is over! The Shake Shack to end all Shake Shacks is open in Brooklyn. I have no doubt this will be the most successful outpost yet with the revitalized Fulton Mall, colleges and universities, courts, government offices, the BAM Cultural District, the soon-to-be-completed Barclays Center and new residents in Downtown Brooklyn all lining up for Shake Shack’s delicious burgers and world-famous shakes,” said BP Markowitz. “Danny Meyer has Shake Shack locations across Manhattan and at Citi Field in Queens, as well as Connecticut, Miami, Washington, DC and even the Middle East—but now he’s finally hit the big time in Brooklyn. Kudos to Union Square Hospitality Group for really ‘shaking up’ the Downtown Brooklyn food scene!”

(Photos by Kathryn Kirk)

The Brooklyn Shake Shack (409 Fulton Street, Brooklyn NY (b/t Willoughby & Adams)) is open seven days a week.
11:00 AM – 11:00 PM
P: 718.307.7590
shakeshack.com

[UPDATE from CB2 (Dec 20): As previously announced, Community Board 2 (CB2) will hold its monthly transportation and land use committee meetings this week, both of which are scheduled for 6:00 pm. However, the Department of Transportation (DOT) is not fully prepared to present its interrelated plans for an entrance ramp to the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, two-way Furman Street, and improvements in Fulton Ferry Landing. This presentation, therefore, has been laid over to January 17, 2012.]

Community Board 2 (CB2) will hold its monthly transportation and land use committee meetings on Dec 20/21, both of which are scheduled for 6:00 pm.

Transportation and Public Safety Committee

Tuesday, December 20; First Floor Board Room, St. Francis College, 180 Remsen Street (between Clinton and Court streets) in Brooklyn Heights

Christopher Hrones, the downtown brooklyn transportation coordinator for the Department of Transportation (DOT), will present interrelated plans for the entrance ramp from Atlantic Avenue to the Queens- or eastbound Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, two-way Furman Street, and traffic calming, streetscape and other improvements in Fulton Ferry Landing.

The image above is from a June 21, 2011 presentation by DOT to the transportation committee, which will be superceded by next week’s presentation.

Read the June presentation for background information about issues in Fulton Ferry Landing (PDF)

Mr. Hrones will also brief the committee on plans by DOT to prohibit left turns on to Fulton Street from westbound Greene Avenue.

The committee will also, as part of the community board’s annual review of the citywide statement of needs for facilities, consider plans by the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the New York Police Department (NYPD) to relocate facilities. DOT proposes to move the Brooklyn Highway Inspection Quality Assurance (HIQA) office, currently located in Community District 2, to Sunset Park, in Community District 7. NYPD proposes relocating its central record/property clerk warehouse from 540 Kingsland Avenue, in Greenpoint, within Community District 1, to an unspecified location in Brooklyn. Based on a meeting between Council Member Stephen Levin and District Manager Robert Perris and the police department, there is strong reason to believe the warehouse may be moved to 11 Front Street, in DUMBO.

Land Use Committee

Wednesday, December 21; Room LC400, Dibner Building, Polytechnic Institute, 5 MetroTech Center (off of the MetroTech Commons) in Downtown Brooklyn

Lish Whitson, a planner in the Brooklyn office of the Department of City Planning (DCP), will present a zoning text amendment—that is, proposed changes to the written text in the New York City Zoning Resolution—”to remove zoning impediments to the construction and retrofitting of green buildings.”

Major features of the proposed zoning text facilitate construction of energy-efficient building walls, sun-control devices, solar panels, greenhouses, wind turbines and other roof-top installations.

The committee will also review the following Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) applications:

• 256 Cumberland Street – Fort Greene Historic District – Application is to restore the front façade and construct a 10-foot by 12-foot, three-story extension on the back of the building.
• 224 Henry Street – Brooklyn Heights Historic District – Application is to convert a rear window to a door leading to a new exterior stair giving access from the parlor level to the rear yard.

Previously:
{Front and York Street Redesign Proposal, 14Jul2011}
{DOT Looks to Revamp the Streets Near Pier 1 but Not B25 Bus Route, 13Jul2011}

(Photo by wesleyrosenblum)

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

• Digital DUMBO Invites You to Give the Gift of Digital, 13Dec11, DD
• Japanese Antique Store is Closing in Dumbo, 16Dec11, Brownstoner
• 30-Foot Sculpture in Brooklyn Bridge Park, 15Dec11, Brownstoner
• Pier 1 Proposals Put Under the Microscope, 15Dec11, Brownstoner
• City lets Grimaldi guy keep coal oven, 17Dec11, NYP
• Tucker Reed to Lead Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, 14Dec11, BK Paper
• Olga Bloom of Bargemusic, 16Dec11, NYT
• Alexis Bittar’s DUMBO studio, 15Dec11, Stylelist
• Tobacco Warehouse Transfer, 13Dec11, BHB
• St. Ann’s Warehouse to Stay in DUMBO, 12Dec11, Broadway World
• Vinegar Hill House Celebrates the Coming Apocalypse, 13Dec11, Eater
• Emily Thompson DUMBO florist, 13Dec11, BK Paper
• Bulb-Out Complete on York and Front Street, 15Dec11, Brownstoner
• 30 Main Street, #11G, $3.1MM, 2500sqft, 13Dec11, Brownstoner

We received the below update from Chris Havens, Chief Executive at Creative Real Estate Group, a local commercial real estate business on the Dumbo Retail Report for December 2011:

“Snap shot of vacancy rate, asking prices and estimated rents for the area bounded by Old Fulton Street, York Street, Hudson Avenue and the East River – known as Fulton Ferry, Dumbo and Vinegar Hill.”

Inventory

One hundred and twenty-nine storefronts currently utilized as retail, restaurant, office and studio space comprise the area market, totaling 309,000 SF.

Four distinct mini sub-markets outline what is now called DUMBO: Fulton Ferry Landing/Old Fulton Street; Between the Bridges/Central DUMBO; DUMBO east of the Manhattan Bridge (John to York, Jay to Pearl); Vinegar Hill (east of Jay to Hudson Avenue/Navy Yard overlook).

Spaces range from 50SF to 6000SF, which most availability above 3000SF. Demand for stores under 1000 sf exceeds supply by a wide margin. Yet larger sizes languish. Bars, food tenants, restaurants home goods and apparel comprise much of the demand. DUMBO nightlife is growing, with the addition of Rebar, the expansion of 68 Jay bar and increased tourist traffic. However, the area doesn’t yet compare to Smith Street or 5th Avenue in Brooklyn.

Vacancy Rate

The area-wide vacancy rate is 10.2%.

Ten storefronts and retail sites are currently offered, with seven sized 3000SF and above. All but one of these large spaces are on Fulton Street or in Vinegar Hill, not the center of DUMBO. The one large space Between the Bridges, 6600SF at 81 Front, is now Leases Out after receiving multiple offers this fall. There are no spaces at 2500SF and four below that size.

Asking Rents/Taking Rents

Asking rents range from $40 to $75 per foot, based on size and location. The high end of the range are spaces under 1000 SF.

Recent taking rents include last year’s relocation of P.S. Books from 147 Front Street to 2138SF at 76 Front for $37 a foot and One Girl Cookies taking 1457SF at One Main for $42 a foot in October.

Spaces that may become available in 2012 under 2000SF on prime streets, which are Front, Washington and Jay, would be worth a minimum of $60 a foot.

The Brooklyn retail market has accelerated this year, trending upward in both price and velocity.

Previously:
{Dumbo Commercial Real Estate Update (Nov 2011)}

Green Stone Spa, previously located at 155 Water Street has moved to a new location, 133 Water Street. Green Stone Spa merged with The Wellness Lounge, which was at the 133 Water Street location. The new spa interior is being redone and they are adding more spa services in the coming months. (They are offering a $99 1hr Deep Tissue special for first time clients at the Green Stone Spa. Just mention you saw this special on DumboNYC.)

Some of the massage treatments offered are Thai, Thai herbal, Lymphatic, Prenatal, medical, hotstone, couples, and four hand dream massage. All treatments are customized and catered to each clients’ specific needs and total body wellness using all natural and organic products. The Spa also offers home call services for massage and provides Chair Massage for special events.

They also have gifts, aromatherapy, massage oils, essential candles, and gift certificates. (Last minute holiday gift option)

Green Stone Spa (greenstonespa.com)
Open 7 days
133 Water Street, Brooklyn NY 11201
718-875-1514