08/04/16 4:30pm
west-elm-empire-stores-dumbo-brooklyn-ext-rend

Rendering by S9 Architecture

Dumbo-based home furnishings company West Elm will be the first tenant to open in the massive and neighborhood-changing 146-year-old coffee warehouse-turned-retail hub Empire Stores.

The grand opening of its new flagship is set for August 18 at 8 a.m., the retailer revealed in an email Wednesday. West Elm is leasing a third of the historic building and will also have its offices there. (more…)

07/23/13 6:23pm

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[UPDATE: Press Release after the jump.]
Atrium, the new restaurant at 15 Main Street in Dumbo is opening this Thursday, according to NY Times:

“ATRIUM DUMBO The space formerly housing the Governor, which succumbed to Sandy, has been turned into this airy place with a mezzanine and water views. Laurent Kalkotour, who grew up in Provence, is the chef in partnership with Alexander LaPratt in the beverage department and Leslie Affre running the dining room. Mr. Kalkotour calls on his background for octopus carpaccio with fennel and olives but channels a different southern region for a pork chop garnished with spoon bread, piquillo peppers and bacon jam.”

Atruim is taking over the former Governor location, which closed after Hurricane Sandy.

Atrium Dumbo
15 Main Street (Water Street), Dumbo, Brooklyn, 11201
(718) 858-1095
atriumdumbo.com
Hours: Atrium DUMBO is open Sunday through Wednesday, from 5:30pm to midnight and from Thursday through Saturday from 5:30pm to 1am.

Previously:
{Two New Restaurants Coming to Dumbo, 10May2013}
{Dumbo Commercial Real Estate Update (June 2013), 02July2013}

(more…)

07/10/13 12:22pm

Plymouth Street

The Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Department of Design and Construction (DDC) have constructed full scale granite cobble mock-ups to demonstrate roadway reconstruction techniques for the Dumbo/Vinegar Hill street reconstruction for Water Street, Pearl Street, Plymouth Street, Main Street, and Adams Street. According to the Dumbo BID, work will take place on streets as indicated in the map below (Yellow = DOT scope / full street and plaza reconstruction; Blue = DEP scope / water and sewer reconstruction):


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The granite cobble mock-ups will demonstrate how a mix of new and original cobblestone could be used to rebuild the streets, which, along with the centuries-old sewer and water lines below, are slated for reconstruction beginning next year. The test streets will be on view to the public, and DOT will be on hand to take feedback on the design and stones. The public is encouraged to comment on the design and materials – as several options for reuse of old and introduction of new materials will be presented. Comments will be taken on site and can also be emailed to plazas@dot.nyc.gov. The Dumbo BID writes, “These comments will be incorporated into a design package that will then be presented to Community Board 2 on July 22 for project approval. The design will also need approval from the Landmarks Preservation Commission this fall.”

The viewing schedule for the rest of the week is as follows at Pier 6 of Brooklyn Bridge Park (along Furman Street near Atlantic Avenue):

  • Wednesday, July 10 – 12-2PM
  • Thursday, July 11 – 8-11AM
  • Friday, July 12 – 9-11AM
  • Saturday, July 13 – 9AM-12PM

Some oppose the use of mass produced cobblestones or a bike lane such as the one on Washington Street in Dumbo.

So we asked the DOT for some further background on the proposed stones. The DOT Commissioner Sadik-Khan wrote to us to clear up some confusion about bike lanes: “This community requested project will restore the street’s historical elegance while removing stumbling blocks for the thousands of people walking and biking in the neighborhood daily.” They continue to receive feedback from the community as the design demonstration period continues, but the presence of a bike lane has not been identified as an issue.

We asked about feedback about installing a bike lane on Water Street. She said that “some blogs have written, inaccurately, that cobblestones on Water Street will be removed to install a bike path. This is false. This is a total street reconstruction project and the cobblestones are being restored as part of the capital upgrade, regardless of the street’s designation as a Greenway. The section of Water Street in the project area hasn’t been significantly upgraded in more than a century and utilities for the growing number of residences and businesses in the area are overdue for reconstruction. Half of the cobblestones in the project are currently covered by asphalt just to make the street navigable.”

“As with many other roadway reconstructions across the city, this project also brings an opportunity to improve roadway design to make streets even safer and easier to navigate for all street users and meet ADA requirements—such as installing smooth, walkable crosswalks. A similar, complete street reconstruction on Washington Street and another section of Water Street started more than three years ago [ref: 10May2010 and 03Dec2009], replacing sewers and water mains while upgrading underground utilities and sidewalks, and the materials demonstration was developed specifically to address community feedback on these redesigns. DOT continues to work with the community board on the project (we held two workshops in just the last year) and we look forward to continuing our efforts with the board.”

Take a look at the mockup at Pier 6 and send your comments. What do you think?

(Photo by j_segura)

05/30/13 12:17pm

 

At the Parks and Recreation Committee meeting, the Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation (BBPC), presented the Main Street park’s final design (pdf). Brooklyn Bridge Park (BBP) is proposing 37,617 square feet (0.863 acres) of land be redesigned in the Main Street section of the park at the end of Washington Street.

The CB2 Board next step – make a decision to recommend the design to the Public Design Commission. What do you think?


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(Existing site at Brooklyn Bridge Park, Main Street)


 [+]
(Rendering of proposed design for entrance to Brooklyn Bridge Park from Plymouth Street courtesy Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Inc.)


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(Existing site at Brooklyn Bridge Park, Adams/John St entry)


 [+]
(Rendering of proposed design for entrance to Brooklyn Bridge Park from Adams Street courtesy Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Inc.)


 [+]
(Rendering of proposed design for Brooklyn Bridge Park courtesy Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Inc.)

Previously:
{Main Street Conversion Site Plan to be Presented,16May2013}

05/16/13 3:49pm


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(Existing site at Brooklyn Bridge Park, Main Street)


 [+]
(preliminary design of Main Street Conversion Site, October 15, 2012)

Brooklyn Bridge Park (BBP) is proposing 37,617 square feet (0.863 acres) of land in the Main Street section of the park at the end of Washington Street a final design for the site. The section of the park is currently used for non-park municipal purposes, the parcels that house an indoor facility that was used by NYC Department of Environmental Protection (NYCDEP) as a water meter testing site, the streetbed of Washington Street, which is currently used as a parking lot for the NYCDEP facility, and a New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) paint shed.

Once developed, these replacement parcels would be integrated into the Main Street section of Brooklyn Bridge Park, which has already been developed as a waterfront park space with beach access.

Leigh Trucks, senior project manager for the Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation (BBPC), will present the park’s final design for the Main Street Conversion Site. The presentation is made for CB2 recommendation to the Public Design Commission.

  • The presentation of the preliminary design made at the October 15, 2012 parks committee meeting: PDF file (6mb file)
  • A summary of the proposed use of replacement parcels is on the BBPC site (PDF file).

CB2 Parks and Recreation Committee Meeting
Monday, May 20 2013, 6pm
Dining Rooms A&B, Brooklyn Hospital, 121 DeKalb Avenue at St. Felix Street, in Fort Greene

More info on the Main Street Conversion Site.