10/31/14 12:01pm

dumbo_halloween

The DUMBO Improvement District is sponsoring their 7th storefront trick-or-treating for kids in our community today. Children dressed in costume are welcomed into shops throughout the neighborhood with no purchase necessary.

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 Bridges, 66 Water Street
  • Trunk, 68 Jay Street
  • Two Kids and a Dog, 65 Pearl Street
  • West Elm, 75 Front Street
  • West Elm Market, 50 Washington Street

For more info, go to: www.dumbo.is

04/07/14 8:22am
Image courtesy Dumbo Improvement District

Image courtesy Dumbo Improvement District

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.

More details

12/05/13 8:00pm

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pp_trees

Steve Gauthier Trees

Steve Gauthier Trees

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.

11/07/13 12:51pm

billvitiello

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.

Courtesy of Dumbo BID

Courtesy of Dumbo BID

James Grebey (jag2297@columbia.edu), of the Columbia Journalism School, wrote a profile of Bill. To read the full article, click more…
(more…)

11/05/13 11:19pm

galapagos_midtownequities

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.

studiov

The Brooklyn Bridge Park presentation included information on the new St. Ann’s theatre ground breaking (to be completed in 2015), John Street development, and the development of the Main Street area of the park (construction to begin in Q1 of 2014).

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.)

2013-07-22-dumbo-vinegar-hill-streetscape-cb2.pdf

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

2013-07-22-dumbo-vinegar-hill-streetscape-cb2.pdf-2

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.

Other recaps:
{Recap DUMBO community meeting 11/4, Brooklyn Bridge Parents}
{Empire Stores Redevelopment Plan is ‘Terrifying,’ Some DUMBO Residents Say, DNAinfo}

11/04/13 10:27am

Aerial View_Credit Studio V

A community meeting is being held to address questions about the plans for development of the streets and Brooklyn Bridge Park tonight at Galapagos Art Space. The meeting is co-hosted by Brooklyn Bridge Park, the DUMBO Improvement District, and Councilmember Stephen Levin.

The meeting will address the following:

  • Plans for the redevelopment of Empire Stores
  • Brooklyn Bridge Park construction update
  • Upcoming DUMBO street rehabilitation projects
  • Neighborhood traffic and intersection analyses

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

Previous Brooklyn Bridge Park development posts:
John Street development plan
St. Ann’s Warehouse at Tobacco Warehouse Breaks Ground
Midtown Equities selected to transform the Empire Stores
Floorplan Revealed for Pierhouse at Brooklyn Bridge Park