Dumbo NYC

One week after I wrote about the bright lights on the patios of the 18th floor at Beacon Tower, the building shut off the lights on the south side. (Not pictured is the north side patio on the 20th floor balcony is still lit.) Maybe they were concerned about the migrating geese, global warming, or concerned residents, but they deserve some kudos for responding so quickly.

Since residents won’t have to foot the electric bill for the lights on one side, maybe the building can use the money saved to commission a local artist similar to what J Condo is doing or bring back Between the Bridges Bar (you know, that neighborhood bar that used to occupy the space where Beacon Tower is now) in their retail space to give something back to the community. Don’t count on those, but maybe resident’s maintenance bills can come down a bit.

 Photo taken two weeks apart; one week after Beacon shut off patio lights. Click image for full size.

{Dumbo Condo Report: Everything Is Illuminated, Curbed.com}
Previously: {Dumbo’s Beacon of Light, DumboNYC}

In this series of “Dumbo Streetscapes Then and Now”, we are looking at photos down Adams Street, from the north side of York Street, showing the base of the Manhattan Bridge in the background. In the 69 year old photo, circa 1938, by P.L. Sperr, Adams Street used to be a block of manufacturing companies. The ad on the side of 70-72 Adams Street says:

J.B. Currie & Son
Manufacturers and Jobbers
Motor Truck Parts
70-72 Adams Street
Brooklyn, New York
Skid Chains - Truck & Passenger
we carry complete stock of
Johnson Automotive & Industrial
Bearings - [?] - Bar Bronze

The far building on the corner of Adams Street and Front Street (where today’s Forager Market at 56 Adams Street) still stands, mostly in tact with billboard and all, then and now.

The current location of one corner of Adams and York street is fenced off from the Beacon Tower (85 Adams St) construction. The top left corner of the 1938 photo shows the clock of the Clocktower building at 1 Main Street (click on photo to show larger version of photo), but is blocked off by the 84 Front Street building (The Nexus) in the current photo.

   April 5, 1938 (click on photo to show larger version of photo)

   January 21, 2007

[UPDATE: For those who say today's photo doesn't match the old photo, I couldn't take the exact angle as in the old photo. Otherwise it would have been blocked by a stop sign, the underpass of the BQE, and the construction fence of Beacon Tower. This is the point of before-and-after photos. Plus I never claimed to be a photographer.
-h]

{New York Public Library photo of York Street, north side, east from Adams Street}
{Dumbo Then and Now: Washington and York Street}
{Dumbo Then and Now: Plymouth Street West of Pearl Street}
{Dumbo Then and Now: Main Street, South From Front Street}

Curbed called J Condo “The Shining Star of Dumbo” for it’s reflective properties. But at night, the ‘beacon of lights’ are lit from 85 Adams Street, aka Beacon Tower, so we can identify Dumbo from afar. But I can’t help but wonder how incredibly annoying it would be for the residents-to-be on floors 18 to 23 A-lines, where the up-lights shine directly into the southern facing windows (living room and kitchen) or the B-lines’ western facing windows (master bedroom windows). If you look at the below night shot of Beacon Tower, you’ll notice the glow out these windows from the up-lights (the interior lights were off). Too bad the owner of unit 18A (with the terrace where the lights are located) won’t have a switch to turn them off. I’m all for up-lights but I don’t see the terrace beacon staying lit if the lights are so bright that it drives residents mad.

{J Condo, the Shining Star, DumboNYC.com}

While it seemed like construction was slow all summer at 85 Adams, this past weekend, workers were busy installing the last of the dual glazed windows with special sound-absorbing liner. The external construction elevator was also taken down and the entrance to the lobby area was being worked on. The interior lights were installed and operational. While I’ve heard a lot from J Condo owners who are for the most part satisfied with the developers, I haven’t heard from any Beacon Tower owners. Do any readers own any units and have updates on move-in dates?

{85 Adams Street Condo Progress (9/12/06), DumboNYC.com, 9/12/06}
{Beacon Tower Garden Update, 9/6/06}
{Beacon Tower website}

Below are two photos of Beacon Tower in Dumbo taken two months apart. They must be hard at work on the interior because it looks like the exterior is mostly done, as the difference between the photos is small (compare J Condo progress in the background). The supposed dented exterior noted by a commenter can be seen in a close-up photo I took below, but it’s a work in progress so we’ll have to see when the building is ready for occupancy in 2007.

 June 20, 2006 (photo by dumbonyc)

 August 11, 2006 (photo by dumbonyc)

 Click photo for close-up of Beacon, September 8, 2006 (photo by dumbonyc)

{related: Beacon Tower Garden Update, Dumbonyc.com}

Sept 2006

Remember this Brownstoner entry almost a year ago in October 2005 about this development (followed by the oft discussed pricing and tax abatement protests on Curbed)? The above photo is the foundation for the 85 Adams Street’s feng shui inspired garden (aka Beacon Tower). Plans include a tea house, for a “natural buffer between home and street”. Not sure how those who live at Beacon Tower will “find peace, sanctuary and true urban sophistication” outdoors in the garden and tea house with the building being cornered by the Manhattan Bridge and the BQE. This corner on Adams and York Streets is probably the loudest spot in Dumbo. But in all fairness, I did check out the sales office a few months ago and the sound proofing in the condos was a focus of the developer Shaya Boymelgreen.

Artist Rendering of garden, occupancy early 2007

Ignoring that BQE white noise, you can almost imagine meditating in the zen garden…ommmmmmm.

{Beacon Tower website}

Via Gothamist, could it be that the Dumbo architect Robert Scarano replied to Brownstoner’s post about my Water Street development update?

“Don’t degrad your families life style like that. Peoplr are still free to make choices in this country. Go back to the sticks where people still use the word Hobo. Here in New York its Bums.”

I’m not convinced he wrote that, but it would be cool that he’s reading some Brooklyn blogs out there. Here’s another view of the development looking up from Water Street:

Considering the building is next to the Manhattan Bridge, it gets a lot of sunlight.

{Gothamist post}
{Brownstoner’s post on Water St development}

[Update: 133 Water Street Received Their TCO, 16May2007]

The development on the corner of Adams and Water Streets is moving quickly. There was some discussion on Brownstoner.com back in June, but since then the facade went up. According to Scarano’s website, first floor will have commercial space and residential apartments above:

The Gair family developed many of the adjacent properties and these buildings lend their aesthetic qualities to the new structure. And while some of the new developments ignore this richly diverse community by placing Manhattan-style buildings next to these neighboring icons, this new building blends old with new, allowing both to be recognized and appreciated for what they are.

Exterior surfaces reveal the varied nature of the interior layouts by using glass window wall systems on the upper level units, most of which have double height ceilings. Turning the mass on a 45 degree angle to the street grid allowed for unique and varied vistas for many units. Triple glazing and acoustically super-insulated exterior walls mask the din of noise emanating from the adjacent Manhattan bridge roadway and transit lines.

With commercial spaces at the 1st floor and parking in the cellar, the residential portion on the floors above responds to the New York City Quality Housing Program, mandated by the local residential district.

Large units of 1000 square feet for a two bedroom apartment represent a trend that the buyers now demand. Modern amenities include deluxe five piece fixtures in the master bathroom, his and her walk in closets and state of the art kitchen appliances with European cabinetry.

{Development Watch: Adding to Chaos in Dumbo, Brownstoner.com}
{Scarano Architects website}