(Photo courtesy of Dumbo Improvement District)

From June 18th through July 2nd, the Dumbo Improvement District has partnered with Sing for Hope Pop-up Piano to bring a baby grand piano to The Archway under the Manhattan Bridge; the piano will be available to be played by all who pass by. This two week public residency is part of Sing for Hope’s Pop-Up Pianos public art project, presented in collaboration with the City of New York that will bring 88 pianos to public space and parks across the five boroughs of New York City this summer. The piano, designed by Polish-born American-residing visual artist Olek, has been crocheted with vibrant fibers, and will be unveiled to the public on the morning of June 18th.

The installation will be one of the largest public art festivals in New York this summer, and is expected to reach more than 2,000,000 people. To see a full list of locations, please visit www.singforhope.org.

Borough Concert: On Friday, June 24th, Sing for Hope and the DUMBO BID will hold the third Pop-Up Piano Borough concert under The Archway. Prize-winning pianist Elaine Kwon performs throughout the evening wearing a custom crocheted outfit to match Olek’s piano. Also performing are the piano-based folk pop group Greene Girl, (the name is derivative of the neighborhoods Fort Greene and Greenpoint), Melanie Edwards Laboratories, percussionist Jibrail Nor, guitar/bass/trumpeter Greg Bandolik and Lacrymosa, who showcases her unique singing/songwriting/piano talents.

There is also a Sing for Hope piano at Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 1.

(Photo courtesy of Brooklyn Bridge Park)

Dumbo Improvement District Press Release (PDF 1.32mb)

Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Committee on Alternatives to Housing, with the assistance of Bay Area Economics Consulting, is conducting the second of two public hearings to solicit comments from the public on alternative sources that could be relied upon to finance the on-going operations of the park in lieu of revenues from the Pier 6 and John Street development sites.

As part of the Brooklyn Bridge Park development, the park must be self-sustaining. One method is to build market rate housing on the park as a source of revenue for the park. The park has begun receiving revenue from One Brooklyn Bridge Park on Furman St. However, the first residential development will be in Dumbo on John Street. According to the Brooklyn Eagle, the John Street site needs approval. If approved, the project will start in July 2011 and expected to take two years to complete. The John Street building would be 170 feet tall and 16 stories high with 130 units. Another two sites at Pier 6 sites would be 315 feet tall and 31 stories high with 290 units; the other one would be 155 feet tall and 15 stories high with 140 units.

(John Street site in Dumbo)

Thursday, December 9, 2010, 6pm – 8pm
St. Francis College*, 180 Remsen Street
Founders Hall Auditorium, 1st floor

The public is encouraged to submit written comments in lieu of, or in addition to, verbal testimony. The deadline to submit written testimony is 5 p.m. on Monday, December 13, 2010. Please submit written testimony to Bay Area Economics at bbptestimony@bae1.com.

More:
{Housing in Bridge Park Still a Question Mark, 01Dec2010, BK Eagle}
{First New Condo in Brooklyn Bridge Park Would Be in Dumbo, 02Dec2010, Curbed}
{Francis to NY1: No Turning Back Once Housing is in Brooklyn Bridge Park, 01Dec2010, BHB}
{The Future of Brooklyn Bridge (Condo) Park, 03Dec2010, LMag}
{Alternatives to Housing in Brooklyn Bridge Park, Washington Sq Park}

(Photo by Jane Kratochvil)

We know this is not new, but Squibb Park at Columbia Heights and Middagh Street in Brooklyn Heighgts has been open for a month or two. The 70 year old, 0.595 acre park was under renovation and is now a skate park with engineered acrylic floor. No half pipes or rails but a bridge from the park to Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 1 is funded, but no word yet on when construction will begin.

According to the NYC Dept of Parks & Recreation:

“This playground honors Dr. Edward Robinson Squibb (1819-1900), founder of Squibb Pharmaceuticals, later known as Bristol Meyers Squibb…He built the first Squibb laboratories on a site behind the present playground; if you look closely you can still see the name Squibb written on the smokestacks.”

{Squibb Park Open for Skaters, PS 8 Kids, 06Oct2010, Brownstoner}
{Squibb Playground in Lively Use, 23Sept2010, BHB}
{This park is a forgotten ‘Squibb’ no more, 06Oct2010, BK Paper}
{Update on Squibb Park & Bridge, 07May2010, Brownstoner}

“The Jehovah’s Witnesses could answer the prayers of locals fighting to keep more high-rise condos out of Brooklyn Bridge Park,” according to a NY Post article. “During a closed-door session at Borough Hall yesterday, some civic leaders and elected officials discussed having the city revise the waterfront park’s project plan to include dozens of DUMBO and Brooklyn Heights properties that the religious group has put up for sale.” The Witnesses buildings, including the one pictured above borders Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 1 and other buildings could substitute for constructing high rise condos at John Street in Dumbo and at Pier 1 and 6. The Witnesses buildings, if converted could be lucrative for the city, given the prime waterfront locations, and can off-set the park’s anticipated $16.1 million annual maintenance costs. That’s of course if, they decide to sell and move out of Brooklyn, as previously reported.

Previously:
{Jehovah’s Witnesses Buildings As “Magic Bullets”, 07Oct2010, Gothamist}
{Watchtower Plans on Moving Out of Brooklyn, 24Feb2010}
{The Watchtower Moving Some Operations from Brooklyn, 26Mar2009}
{‘Mysterious’ 85 Jay Street Activity?, 30Jan2008}
{Where’s the Tennis Court in Dumbo?, 10May2007}
{Glimpse Inside Jehovah’s Witness Headquarters, 16Nov2006}

Photo by @NYCphotos in the DumboNYC Flickr pool.

1) Digital DUMBO #18 “Get Your Job On”

What: Digital DUMBO #18 “Get Your Job On”
When: Jul 29, 2010, 6:30pm – 9:00pm
Where: The Dumbo Loft, 155 Water St, Brooklyn, NY

Month after month, the newspapers report shrinking job numbers. However, fueled by the digital economy, the DUMBO area of Brooklyn continues to grow. Why? Because there are hundreds of companies in the Digital District that are providing services that matter in the new economy. And the good news is….THEY ARE HIRING.

Attend the Digital DUMBO event at The Dumbo Loft on July 29th from 6:30 – 8:30 and have the chance to meet decision makers from some of the industries hottest media and technologies companies. At the event, you can find out more about hiring at HUGE, Pontiflex, The JAR Group, Carrot Creative, and DealNews.com, among many other companies. These companies are working with some of the world’s most recognizable brands from Ford, Disney, PepsiCo, ASPCA, Tommy Hilfiger, Heinz and many others.

This will be a great chance to meet hiring managers and learn about opportunities over casual drinks!

Note: You don’t need to be actively persuing a new career to attend. The event, as usual, is open to everyone and will be in the typical Digital DUMBO format.

2) Media Circus:The Year in Hyperlocal

What: Media Circus: The Year in Hyperlocal
When: Thursday, July 29, at 7:30 p.m.
Where: JLA Studios, 63 Pearl St (between Water and Front St.), Brooklyn, NY 11201

Join Gelf for a frank discussion of the pitfalls and prospects of hyperlocal featuring Mark Potts, a hyperlocal pioneer and CEO of Growthspur (interview here) and Jake Dobkin, publisher of Gothamist and well-known rabble-rouser (an interview from Dobkin’s last appearance available here), as we once again view the past and future growth of the field through the eyes of the people who are driving it.

3) Movies With A View

What: Movies With A View: Rear Window
When: Jul 29, 2010, 6:00pm – 11:00pm (Films at sundown; DJs at 6:00)
Where: Pier 1 section of Brooklyn Bridge Park

“Come down to the park to enjoy the city’s premiere (free!) outdoor film series with an eclectic line-up of films and breathtaking views of the NYC waterfront.”

We already posted information about Movies with a View series starting tonight featuring the 1977 film Annie Hall. However, it’s worth mentioning that tonight’s short film, Abbie Cancelled was produced in Vinegar Hill by VH resident Bartow Church. Many of the scenes are filmed on Gold Street and in a basement of one of the townhouses in VH. Abbie Cancelled was an official selection of the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. Congrats Bartow!

Thursday, July 8
Location: Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 1
Feature Film: Annie Hall (PG) 1977, 93 min
Short: Abbie Cancelled by Dumb Bunny
DJ: Ursula 1000

Syfy presents Brooklyn Bridge Park’s 11th Anniversary Season of Movies With A View summer 2010, this year on the newly opened Pier 1. The first one begins tomorrow, Thursday, July 8. The full schedule is below. Ditch Plains will sell prepared meals from the Pier 1 Gatehouse on Thursday nights for Movies with a View, and will be open full-time later in July.

Note: Movies start at dusk. Chairs are not permitted on the lawns and alcohol and glass bottles are not permitted in Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Thursday, July 8
Feature Film: Annie Hall (PG) 1977, 93 min
Short: Abbie Cancelled by Dumb Bunny
DJ: Ursula 1000

Thursday, July 15
Feature Film: Monsters vs. Aliens presented in 3D (PG) –2009, 94 min
(no short this night)
DJ: DJ Lupe Loop

Thursday, July 22
Feature Film: The Big Lebowski (R) – 1998, 117 min
Short: Dock Ellis and the LSD No-No by Christopher Isenberg
DJ: Cosmo Baker

Thursday, July 29
Feature Film: Rear Window (PG) – 1954, 112 min
Short: Sketches from Great Gull by Nicholas Laviola
DJ: DJ DRM

Thursday, August 5
Feature Film: Brokeback Mountain (R) – 2005, 134 min
Short: Last Address by Ira Sachs
DJ: Soulstatic

Thursday, August 12
Feature Film: Dreamgirls (PG 13) – 2006, 130 min
Short: S From Hell by Rodney Ascher
DJ: DJ Conquerrah

Thursday, August 19
Feature Film: The Blues Brothers (R) – 1980, 133 min
Short: Mr. Okra by T.G. Herrington
DJ: Soulstatic

Thursday, August 26
Feature Film: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (PG 13) – 1989, 127 min
Short: Jerrycan by Julius Avery
DJ: DJ Emch

Thursday, September 2
Feature Film: Public Vote! Check back at brooklynbridgepark.org for details.

The Brooklyn Heights Association joins with ISSUE Project Room to celebrate Walt Whitman as part of their Centennial Celebration.

A Special Evening of Music and Poetry in Brooklyn Bridge Park include a special outdoor performance, “I Do Not Doubt I Am Limitless: Walt Whitman’s Brooklyn” and bands including Wingdale Community Singers, Christy and Emily, Prince Rama, and others.

When: Thursday, July 1, 2010, 5pm – midnight
Where: Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 1 Harbor View Lawn (Rain Location: The Tobacco Warehouse)

The event is FREE. For more info, go to www.thebha.org

Wall Street Journal also mentions the BHA event.

Enjoy the sunny day today!

(Photo by ad454 in the DumboNYC Flickr pool.)