Photoville (photovillenyc.org) is a new Brooklyn-based photo destination – a veritable village of freight containers transformed into temporary exhibition spaces, taking place this summer from June 22 to July 1, 2012 at Pier 3 of Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Photoville will feature a mix of exhibitions, lectures, hands-on workshops, nighttime projections, a photo dog run, a camera greenhouse, and a summer beer-garden with food trucks that will create a photography destination like no other. And best of all, Photoville is FREE for all to attend and participate (beer & food sold separately ;)

Occupying more than 60,000 sq. feet in the heart of Brooklyn Bridge Park, Photoville will be located on the uplands of Pier 3, along the Brooklyn Waterfront between DUMBO and Atlantic Avenue.

Photoville will be a FREE community event, but they need your help with this large scale event. They are asking the community for support on Kickstarter:

We are humbled by the extraordinary outpour of support that we have received from our community & programming partners in our quest to raise most of our capital – but we need your support to carry this project to the finish line and create a photographic destination like no other.

United Photo Industries is a Dumbo based, Brooklyn-born, art-presenting cooperative dedicated to identifying, harnessing, and occasionally conjuring unexpected exhibition opportunities. Their mission at United Photo Industries is to promote and showcase emerging photographers through curated exhibitions both locally in DUMBO, Brooklyn and around the world.

The NY Times gave a mention of this event yesterday, which wrote “The ultimate aim, he said, is to create a whole environment for photography: Photoville will be immersive, which means it will provide some basic perks (beer, food trucks, dog run) and more elaborate ones (a greenhouse where plants sprout tiny cameras).”

The Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation’s board of directors approved the design and installation of a pool at Brooklyn Bridge Park this summer. Senator Squadron and Assemblymember Millman, supported by Councilmembers Levin and Lander, secured the pool for at least five summers as part of their August 2011 agreement to move the park forward and reduce housing. This is not part of the floating pool proposal, known as +Pool.

“We were so pleased to secure this pool at Brooklyn Bridge Park – and this summer, families can dive right in! Brooklyn Bridge Park has already made waves, and this pool is certain to make a splash,” said Senator Squadron. “A pool and other active recreation are critical to the long-term success of Brooklyn Bridge Park for the next five summers and beyond. I look forward to working with BBPC and my colleagues to make this and other active recreation permanent parts of the park.”

The 30-by-50 foot above ground family pool on Pier 2 will be 3.5 feet deep and surrounded by decks and poolside recreation, and will serve children and families, as well as others.

{Brooklyn Bridge Park news}

Looks like the viral marketing group at thinkmodo have done it again. They’ve created a marketing campaign for a new movie, Chronicle that’s gone viral. Three human shaped RC planes were launched around Dumbo Brooklyn to make it look like real people were flying.

According to Techcrunch, Michael Krivicka from Thinkmodo explains “Since the three main characters of the movie have the ability to fly, we came up with the idea of staging a few “flying people” sightings around NYC. We achieved that illusion by having 3 custom-made aircraft (which were shaped like human beings) fly above designated areas in NYC and NJ.”

Thanks to the many people who have sent this video to us.

Brooklyn Bridge Park (BBP) is celebrating the opening of its new administrative offices at 334 Furman Street, with an open house on Thursday, November 17 from 6:30 – 8:00pm. Join BBP to toast the beginning to a beautiful park.

Part of the celebration includes a screening of New York’s Next Great Park, a collaborative effort from BBP and BRIC’s Brooklyn Independent Television. New York’s Next Great Park is a documentary that chronicles the design and construction of the first phases of Brooklyn Bridge Park, offering insights on its sustainability features as well as featuring interviews with some of the key figures in the design, planning and programming of the park. After the open house, BIT will air New York’s Next Great Park on Friday, November 18 at 7pm. Tune in to Cablevision 69, Time Warner 56, Verizon 44, RCN 84 or watch online to see how BBP was built on the shores of Brooklyn.

The first webisode is shown above, titled, Brooklyn’s Next Great Park.

The O’Crepes location at 147 Front Street in Dumbo closed earlier this week. According to their Facebook page, they are expanding and will reopen near Brooklyn Bridge Park in December. Their message to lunch regulars: “Our lunch people – we miss you but most of you know about these changes. In December we will distribute fliers to all of you. Positive farewell to Green Desk. They were good to us (;”

With the surge in visitors to Brooklyn Bridge Park, the move for O’Crepes should be good for business.

Previously:
{O’Crepes Open in Dumbo, 01Apr2010}
{SHOP @ Green Desk Opening, 25Jan2010}

According to the signs that went up in Brooklyn Bridge Park, Main Street location, the lawn is closed for rejuvenation through the winter. It will reopen in the spring 2012 as a dog free park (as with all grass areas of the park, consistent with other sections of Brooklyn Bridge Park). The sign does say that dogs are welcome at the Main Street dog run (photo below) and on pathways and promenades. We received a few emails from unhappy dog owners about this. What do you think?

(Photo by Josh Derr)

Ditch Plains Drop-In, the concession at Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 1 by Marc Murphy just started offering delivery to the Dumbo area from 11am. Now you can get one of their hot dogs (ditch dog, chili dog, sloppy dog), sloppy joes, lobster rolls, or one of their tasty wraps delivered to your home or office. Check out their menu online.

They are offering 15% off your first order (just mention you saw this on DumboNYC). Delivery zone includes, north to Plymouth Street, south to Cranberry Street, east to Washington Street.

Ditch Plains delivery menu (PDF)
Brooklyn Complex’s review of Ditch Plains

Reminder that Fashion’s Night Out (various retail locations throughout Dumbo), Dumbo Fight Night (St. Ann’s Warehouse, 38 Water Street), and 1st Thursdays Dumbo Gallery Walk (galleries in Dumbo) is tonight.

Other events at the Brooklyn Bridge Park such as Sunset Pilates on Pier 6 and Stargazing on Pier 1 are tonight.

Powerhouse Arena is hosting a book launch party for When Parents Text (7-9pm). Based on the popular website, When Parents Text is an endearing ode to technologically confused adults. Authors Sophia Fraioli and Lauren Kaelin discuss the creation of the book and site, and share some of their favorite parental texts.

Brooklyn Bridge Park yesterday released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for “an operator to construct, operate, and maintain a seasonal indoor recreation structure on Pier 5. The structure will provide active recreation at the Park during the off-season and promote the use of Brooklyn Bridge Park during the winter months. The seasonal recreation structure will be approximately 200’ by 300’, containing one soccer field, situated in an east-west configuration. The structure will be open from December through March.”

Responses to the RFP must are due by 3 p.m. on Tuesday, September 27, 2011. BBP will spend up to $750,000 on construction costs, and will retain ownership of all capital improvements. The 5 acre Pier 5 is scheduled for completion in summer 2012, and will include 3 outdoor, artificial sports turf fields. In addition to the fields, Pier 5 will have a waterfront esplanade along its perimeter, as well as a “picnic peninsula” that will include banquet-length picnic tables, barbecues, a concession, and children’s play equipment. The pier is accessible from a pedestrian path at Joralemon Street, as well as the Park’s main greenway, and the concession structure will be prominently located and directly visible to visitors as they approach the Park from Pier 6 or from Joralemon Street.

RFP for Installation and Operations of a Seasonal Indoor Recreation Facility Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 5 (PDF, large 6.6MB file)

[Due to inclement weather and the threat of lightning, tonight's Syfy Movies With A View showing of Crooklyn has been cancelled.]

Tonight’s Movies with a View at the Brooklyn Bridge Park is Crooklyn.

Date/Time: Thursday, August 18, 6:00pm – 11:00pm. Music at 6:00pm, movies at sunset
Location: Pier 1, Harbor View Lawn
Arrive early for the best seats. Lawn capacity is limited.

DJ: Emch (of Subatomic Sound System)
SHORT: White by A. Sayeeda Clarke
MOVIE: Crooklyn by Spike Lee
RUNTIME: 115 minutes

No pets or chairs allowed on the lawn. No alcohol allowed in the park.