Dumbo’s “official” hours for treats are Friday, October 31 from 4 – 7PM. Hours at each individual business may vary based their hours of operation; look for the official “Welcome Trick-or-Treaters” sign in shop windows.
Participating retailers in Dumbo:
Aegir Boardworks, 99 Washington Street
Almar, 111 Front Street
Almondine Bakery, 85 Water Street
Berl’s Poetry Shop, 126 Front Street
Blanc & Rouge, 81 Washington Street
Bo Concept, 79 Front Street
Bridgestone Cleaners, 109 Front Street
Brooklyn Industries, 70 Front Street
Brooklyn Roasting Company, 25 Jay Street
Dabney Lee, 45 Washington Street
Dewey’s Candy, 141 Front Street
DUMBO Kitchen, 108 Jay Street
Eyedrop Optique, 84 Front Street
Fitness Guru, 215 Water Street
Foragers Market, 56 Adams Street
Front Street Pizza, 80 Front Street
Gramercy Park Flowers, 32 Adams Street
Gran Electrica, 5 Front Street
Half Pint Citizens, 41 Washington Street
Jacques Torres, 66 Water Street
Jane’s Carousel, Brooklyn Bridge Park – Empire Fulton Ferry
Journey, 72 Front Street
Juliana’s, 19 Old Fulton Street
Modern Anthology, 68 Jay Street
NOS Boutique, 81 Front Street
One Girl Cookies, 33 Main Street
powerHouse Arena, 37 Main Street
P.S. Bookshop, 76 Front Street
Recycle-a-Bicycle, 35 Pearl Street
Redbeard Bikes, 69 Jay Street
Shake Shack, 1 Old Fulton Street
Singularity & Co, 18 Bridge Street
Smack Mellon, 92 Plymouth Street
St. Ann’s Warehouse, 29 Jay Street
Stewart/Stand, 141 Front Street
The Archway (Water Street at Anchorage Place) *plus FREE photobooth + FREE hands-on craft activities with Creatively Wild Art Studio
The Dumbo Improvement District is seeking a design team to create DUMBO Circuit, a pop-up 1-mile outdoor fitness loop activating eight park sites surrounding the BQE and Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges. The project will be installed for one year beginning this summer. The DUMBO Circuit project goals include creative placemaking, public health, community connectivity, economic development, neighborhood identity, and visibility.
RFQ submission deadline is April 18, 2014. Project budget is $40,000 inclusive of design, production and installation. The DUMBO Improvement District will be hosting informational site walk-throughs on Wednesday, April 9 at 9:30am and Monday, April 14 at 5pm.
If you’re looking to get a Christmas tree in Dumbo, there are plenty to choose from at the following vendors:
Adam Park trees – in the courtyard next to Dish restaurant on Washington Street. Until 9pm every night.
pj gauthier and sons christmas trees – Plymouth and Adams Street, next to the Brooklyn Bridge Park dog park. Free delivery, until 9pm every night.
Peas & Pickles (55 Washington Street, corner of Washington and Front Street).
You can also check out the Dumbo Holiday Tree Lighting. The DUMBO Improvement District is sponsoring the 8th Annual DUMBO Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony on Thursday, December 12 from 6-7pm in the Pearl Street Triangle. See dumbofirepit.com for more information on the festivities and events.
One year ago, former BID Director of Operations and retired NYC Department of Sanitation employee Bill Vitiello passed away. In his memory, the Dumbo BID dedicated a tree in September 2013 on Washington Street in Dumbo. If you’ve ever walked around the neighborhood, Bill was a presence who made sure the streets were clean. But much more than that, Bill told me in 2007 that his vision for Dumbo was of “a close knit community and a place to share ideas and experiences in the beauty of Dumbo”. He was a critical in making this happen and through his planning and policy, set the tone for people he would run into on the streets. I’m grateful for his work in Dumbo that will last for a long time, well past his physical presence.
A community meeting was held last night co-hosted by Brooklyn Bridge Park, the DUMBO Improvement District, and Councilmember Stephen Levin.
Presenters included Brooklyn Bridge Park President Regina Myer, Jay Valgora (Principal at STUDIO V Architecture) and Chris Hrones, the Downtown Brooklyn transportation coordinator for the Department of Transportation.
Midtown Equities selected STUDIO V Architecture, led by Jay Valgora, to create the architectural design for the adaptive re-use and addition to seven buildings that make up the Empire Stores. Jay Valgora presented their plans for Empire Stores redevelopment and the questions from the attendees at Galapagos Art Space were largely focused on the increase of traffic and noise coming to the neighborhood.
Mr. Valgora showed that the design includes retail space for restaurants, a cultural museum, offices for creative and digital firms, and a public rooftop park overlooking the Brooklyn Bridge Park. The designs include restoration of the Empire Stores structure and facade and a new two story glass addition. To reconnect the neighborhood to the waterfront, there will be a courtyard entrance through the Empire Stores on Water Street that passes through to the Park. A green roof “may include an event space” away from the street on the Park side. The loading docks for trucks will be on Water Streeet (next to 85 Water Street (Almondine Bakery), and will be an enclosed dock. No semis will be making deliveries there.
Questions from the audience on the Empire Stores development include:
Q: Are there plans for how the development affects the community? Since there will be no parking in the buildings [Empire Stores], how will the building management deal with traffic? The resident referred to the Dumbo Arts Festival and the “traffic nightmare”. (Short paraphrased answer: it was always the parks plan to bring in retail)
Q: Regarding the event space on the roof, what is the size and capacity? (A: No decisions have been made on the size. A tenant has not been selected.)
Q: What were the loading dock considerations? (A: We have considered the space abd visibility. Also most of the space is office space which have less loading requirements.)
Q: The neighborhood changed dramatically in the past 30, 20, 10 years. Are there discussions on how we will handle the issues, including recent changes in Dumbo? (A: BBP include a community advisory committee and works with BBP and developers for input.)
Q: On the Water St side of the buildings, what are the setbacks? (A: 15 ft setback. However, per regulations, there will be an elevator bulkhead on the Water Street side of the buildings, 12 feet above the 16 foot addition.
Q: Why is the build up mostly along the side of the neighborhood and not towards the park? (A: The event space is away from residents. On Main Street side, it is set back farther in to minimize noise from the rooftop)
Q: As a gesture to the community, the builders should underwrite the cost of soundproof windows for residents facing the Empire Stores (comment).
Q: What controls do you have to get trucks in/out of the docks? (A: the building operators will set the availability of the three loading docks.)
Chris Hrones, the Downtown Brooklyn transportation coordinator for the Department of Transportation then presented two parts: The $20 million capital reconstruction project (Phase 2) and street intersections and safety. The second phase of the $20 million capital project will begin Fall 2014 and will up to 2 years (anticipated completion in Fall 2016), according to Mr. Hrones. The DOT announced that there is an approval for all direction stop signs at the intersection of Water and Main Street, and will be installed in the next 90 days. There is ongoing research and data collection for other intersections. Water and Dock Street intersection did not meet the warrants for the pedestrian requirements and will not have a stop sign at this time. However, they are examining a cross walk or other optinos such as a yield to pedestrian sign.
The intersection of York and Washington Streets is currently an all ways stop corner. But because of the BQE wall, there are line of sight issues from cars that may not see pedestrians. The DOT is taking a look at how to address this.
Aside from delivery vehicles and emergency vehicles, Anchorage Place will be closed to traffic, as part of the street reconstruction project. For full presentation of the Reconstruction of DUMBO/Vinegar Hill Streets and Pearl Street Plaza, download a copy: PDF
The presenters mentioned that they are open to ongoing dialogue and will hold future meetings. Please comment below on your concerns or thoughts on these development plans.
In addition to the sponsoring groups, representatives from NYCDOT and Midtown Equities (developers of Empire Stores) will be on hand to discuss the projects.
Time: Monday, November 4, 2013 at 6:30pm
Location: Galapagos Art Space, 16 Main Street, Brooklyn NY 11201