06/02/16 12:45pm
Dumbo Farmers Market

A former farmers market in Dumbo

Dumbo home cooks and food lovers, rejoice! The neighborhood is getting a new weekly farmers market.

Created by the Dumbo Improvement District in partnership with Down to Earth Markets, Dumbo Farmers Market will bring an array of locally sourced produce and meats, baked goods, and organic and sustainable specialty food to the Pearl Street Triangle — located in the shadow of the Manhattan Bridge’s archway — every Wednesday starting June 8.

Dumbo Farmers Market

The Pearl Street Triangle. Photo by Hannah Frishberg

Down to Earth Markets, formerly known as Community Markets, ran a farmers market in 2009 and 2010 in the same location. The market previously closed so the company could “pursue other opportunities,” a representative told DumboNYC.

“It was basically the changing of the times, the demographic shifts, more people working in Dumbo,” Down to Earth founder Miriam Haaf told Brownstoner about why the market decided to come back five-year’s after its hiatus, adding, “Dumbo has changed substantially since 2010 and people are much more interested in shopping at farmers markets.”

The company currently manages 15 community markets in and around NYC, including a weekly market in Greenpoint and a twice-weekly market in Park Slope.

Since the first market’s closure, the next-closest sizable farmers market has been at Borough Hall, where GrowNYC hosts vendors on Tuesdays and Saturdays year round.

Around 15 vendors are expected for new Dumbo market’s first day, with expansion planned depending on community support, according to a press release.

Dumbo Farmers Market

Photo via Down to Earth

So far the roster includes Arlotta Food Studio, selling infused olive oils and handmade pasta; Karl Farmily Farms, bringing meat, poultry and eggs raised in the Hudson Valley; Pickle Licious, offering old-fashioned-style barrel pickles; and La Petite Occasion, selling with caramels and toffees made from local milk, among others.

The market will run from noon to 7 p.m. on Wednesdays through November 16. For more information, including a full list of vendors, see the market’s website.

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12/11/15 3:54pm

Dumbo Pizza: Love & Dough

Halcyon, the funky record store on Pearl and Water with the floor covered in smooth stones, packed up and left Dumbo for Williamsburg in August. Since then, Dumbo residents have been eagerly watching the space to see what would be taking its place. The wait is almost over.

This Monday, December 14, will see the soft opening of Love & Dough, a new Italian restaurant from Arthur Hassani. This is Hassani’s second restaurant, after the Archway Café just two doors down.

Love & Dough’s menu will feature traditional Neapolitan cuisine, the centerpiece of which will be their traditional thin-crust, brick oven pizza. The resident pizzaiolo, Giuseppe, has been making pizza in Naples for over 15 years.  (more…)

12/03/15 10:34am

Dumbo Holiday Tree (from 2010)

A tree grows in Dumbo!

Tonight in the Pearl Street Triangle the holiday season begins in earnest with Dumbo’s 10th Annual Tree Lighting. Sponsored by the DUMBO Improvement District, this all-ages block party will ring in the holidays with singing, dancing, cocoa, and a visit from the man himself, Santa Claus.

The fun starts at 6 p.m., featuring calypso from the Brooklyn-based steel drum band Jah Pan, excerpts from the Nutcracker courtesy of Dumbo’s own Gelsey Kirkland Dance Academy, and carols by Opera on Tap, who will be a-wassailing around the neighborhood until 9 p.m.

For you chocolate lovers, the highlight may well be hot cocoa provided by Dumbo’s “Mr. Chocolate,” Jacques Torres. And Santa will be there to greet the kids — make sure to bring unwrapped toys for children ages 0 to 14 for the Big Brooklyn Holiday Toy Drive! It’s a great way to make sure you’re on Santa’s nice list.

The big countdown to lighting the tree — generously donated by Adam Parke Trees — will be led by DUMBO BID executive director Alexandria Sica. Be sure to stick around until 7 p.m… the organizers have hinted that there’s a very special surprise in store!

Pictured above: Dumbo’s 2010 holiday tree.

 

09/06/13 1:58pm
Photo courtesy Jeremy Presner

Photo courtesy Jeremy Presner

The Dumbo Townhouses began construction a few days ago. There are 5 townhomes that will be built on this lot. One is sold and three are in contract. The last one, 175 Water Street is on the market for $4,950,000.

The 5 townhouse status:

  • 55 Pearl Street (closed on 9/25/2012 for $3,725,000)
  • 169 Water Street (In contract, offered at $4,100,000)
  • 171 Water Street (In contract, offered at $4,300,000)
  • 173 Water Street (In contract, offered at $4,500,000)
  • 175 Water Street (On the market for $4,950,000)
Photo taken on September 4, 2013

Photo taken on September 4, 2013

Photo taken on September 5, 2013

Photo taken on September 5, 2013

Previously:
{Dumbo Townhouses on Pearl Street On the Market for $4.1 Million, 10Jun2013}
{More Details About Dumbo Townhouses Revealed, 15May2013}
{CAM’s Elephant Mural on Water Street Gone, 15Feb2013}
{Craig Anthony Miller’s Elephant Mural and the 55-57 Pearl Street Townhouses, 14Feb2013}

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):


 [+]

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)