$20 Million for Phase II of Dumbo Streets Announced

Washington Street

The Dumbo Business Improvement District announced last week a $20 million commitment of funds for Dumbo streets by the city for a second phase of reconstruction of DUMBO’s historic Belgian block streets and the centuries-old pipes below them. According to the BID, “The funds will also be used to permanently build out the Pearl Street Triangle to create a world-class plaza space between the Pearl Street Triangle and the adjacent Archway under the Manhattan Bridge. The first phase of work, covering Water and Washington Streets, will be completed this month.”

We have seen some great programming at the Pearl Street Triangle, and it’s good to finally see funding for a more permanent plaza area. The BID held an ideas competition for the triangle last year, which spurred some interesting (and some far fetched) ideas. The BID told DumboNYC that while we may not see any of these ideas become reality, they will continue to solicit ideas from the community to work with the city on a design that’s best suited for the space.

As for the Belgian block restoration, almost everyone we’ve talked to likes the street fixes. However, in a Brooklyn Paper article on Friday titled DUMBO — historyland or Disneyland?, Doreen Gallo of the DUMBO Neighborhood Alliance says that the reconstruction is “historically inaccurate” and too expensive. So we asked her about it. What do most people not know about the restoration? She feels that most people are unaware of what is being sacrificed and what the difference is between restoring the Belgian block in an historic, authentic way and the recent execution on Washington and Water Streets:

“The original Belgian block was replaced with old looking uniform stone and a granite middle car wide bike path and this patterning of crosswalk destroys the original uniformity of the Belgian block with the iconic view of the Manhattan Bridge. It is not a mall, not a renovation but should be a restoration.”

Ms. Gallo reminds us that every street in Dumbo has Belgian blocks.

“[Historically] there was no asphalt. DOT never followed their own HIQA rules and never enforced subcontractors to put the Belgian block back in kind. Gradually, DOT completely paved over Front St, Jay St, Adams St. On Wednesday, at 12:30 pm, Time Warner was cutting through Pearl St parallel with the triangle. When I arrived they’d cut through 20 feet. By 1pm was told that we had a stop work order. Councilmember Levin called the Brooklyn Borough Commissioner and HIQA DOT inspectors showed up assuring that they were there to make sure it was put back exactly how it was under the asphalt. But how can that be if they were cutting through the block? By 2:30 pm 125 feet were cut through. John Weiss, helpful with the permit said that he did not realize that the Belgian block was under 2″ of asphalt. Yesterday Time Warner continued down Pearl toward Plymouth.

Photos from Friday of the work referenced by Ms. Gallo below:

Clearly there are some differences by preservation groups and the city on how the “restoration” of the Belgian block streets need to be done. There’s no question that Dumbo’s streets need fixing up and more are pleased with it, but according to the DNA, landmark issues must be considered.

More specifics on what the funding will go towards is on the Dumbo BID website.

26 Comment

  • Does this mean that two inches below Front St. there are blocks?

  • Does this mean that two inches below Front St. there are blocks?

  • I don’t think Front Street has blocks. They were removed years ago, but the DOT is adding blocks to the intersection of Washington and Front.

  • I don’t think Front Street has blocks. They were removed years ago, but the DOT is adding blocks to the intersection of Washington and Front.

  • DUMBO is Disneyland sad was an oasis 10 years ago.

  • DUMBO is Disneyland sad was an oasis 10 years ago.

  • Disneyland? I don’t see any morbidly obese people on Rascal scooters…

  • Disneyland? I don’t see any morbidly obese people on Rascal scooters…

  • It’s really amazing how people will always find something to complain about. While it may not be exactly historically accurate, they are restoring the essence of Dumbo’s past and ensuring it lasts well into the future.

    What *is* maddening is that the gas company comes along and spray paints the newly laid blocks and newly poured sidewalks. I have an idea, let’s spend $20 million dollars on new streets and then spray paint bright orange arrows and words all over it. Can we stop them from doing this?

  • It’s really amazing how people will always find something to complain about. While it may not be exactly historically accurate, they are restoring the essence of Dumbo’s past and ensuring it lasts well into the future.

    What *is* maddening is that the gas company comes along and spray paints the newly laid blocks and newly poured sidewalks. I have an idea, let’s spend $20 million dollars on new streets and then spray paint bright orange arrows and words all over it. Can we stop them from doing this?

  • Emery…so you are downplaying other people’s complaints because you don’t agree with them, but yet justify your own complaint…good one..

  • Emery…so you are downplaying other people’s complaints because you don’t agree with them, but yet justify your own complaint…good one..

  • Its a pain in the ass to jog on those blocks.

  • Its a pain in the ass to jog on those blocks.

  • What emery is saying is that this is one person who said something and somehow her rambling took up more than half of the article. Look, the bottom line is that we’re supposed to be adults and as much as using tag lines that makes everything fit into a nice little box may work well for fox news, for those of us with brains, it does not. Saying that the blocks make the nighborhood look like ‘disneyland’ is pointless, nonsensical, and about as good for the neighborhood as blocking st annes from moving into the tobacco warehoise.
    I have shownmore people dumbo and heard them fall in love with it, moreso than most, id guess. If you want to nitpick everything that happens (i remember the protests over cadman plaza park being redone and that it was going to be a park for the rich, whatever that could possibly mean) do it while sitting in your easy chair while watching dancing with the stars. Let the rest of us real new yorkers enjoy the most amazing city in the world.

  • What emery is saying is that this is one person who said something and somehow her rambling took up more than half of the article. Look, the bottom line is that we’re supposed to be adults and as much as using tag lines that makes everything fit into a nice little box may work well for fox news, for those of us with brains, it does not. Saying that the blocks make the nighborhood look like ‘disneyland’ is pointless, nonsensical, and about as good for the neighborhood as blocking st annes from moving into the tobacco warehoise.
    I have shownmore people dumbo and heard them fall in love with it, moreso than most, id guess. If you want to nitpick everything that happens (i remember the protests over cadman plaza park being redone and that it was going to be a park for the rich, whatever that could possibly mean) do it while sitting in your easy chair while watching dancing with the stars. Let the rest of us real new yorkers enjoy the most amazing city in the world.

  • John, my complaint is fundamentally different from the complains about the blocks not being historically accurate.

    Doreen Gallo’s position is that of a teenager who gets a brand new black corvette for her birthday but then complains that it’s not red. My position is diametrically opposed to this type of thinking. Im saying, thank you so much for the new car, but please don’t smash it with a sledgehammer.

  • John, my complaint is fundamentally different from the complains about the blocks not being historically accurate.

    Doreen Gallo’s position is that of a teenager who gets a brand new black corvette for her birthday but then complains that it’s not red. My position is diametrically opposed to this type of thinking. Im saying, thank you so much for the new car, but please don’t smash it with a sledgehammer.

  • Emery, The spray paint is so that when excavating for a new electric cable they don’t accidentally hit a gas line, blowing themselves up, or vice-versa, electrocuting themselves. I’d rather have a few day-glow lines, on the streets than piles of dead construction workers, and burning equipment. I always find the spray paint fascinating, revealing the hidden infrastructure of the city.

  • Emery, The spray paint is so that when excavating for a new electric cable they don’t accidentally hit a gas line, blowing themselves up, or vice-versa, electrocuting themselves. I’d rather have a few day-glow lines, on the streets than piles of dead construction workers, and burning equipment. I always find the spray paint fascinating, revealing the hidden infrastructure of the city.

  • Bb..I get Emery’s point, but thanks..

    Emery, I understand your analogy but I wasn’t discussing the validity of the complaints here..obviously you believe yours is more important and vice versa..

    I just found it amusing that you start off your post with “It’s really amazing how people will always find something to complain about.” then proceed to complain about the orange arrows…again..good one..

  • Bb..I get Emery’s point, but thanks..

    Emery, I understand your analogy but I wasn’t discussing the validity of the complaints here..obviously you believe yours is more important and vice versa..

    I just found it amusing that you start off your post with “It’s really amazing how people will always find something to complain about.” then proceed to complain about the orange arrows…again..good one..

  • John I see your point. It’s kinda funny. But the nature of the ‘complain’ makes all the difference.

  • John I see your point. It’s kinda funny. But the nature of the ‘complain’ makes all the difference.

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