Dumbo NYC

From the inbox…Again, more car break-ins, recommendations on local contractors, and Washington Street repairs. Thanks for your emails. Apologies if I haven’t been able to get to all of them.

1) Subject: More Car Break-ins
Saw some more car windows being broken last night while walking on York street between Washingon and Front Streets. Can you tell the police about this? What can we do to stop this?

[Ed Note: We had the car break-in email from a previous mailbag post, and we get emails every so often about them. Please call 311, the 84th Precinct 718-875-6811 (store this number in your cell phone), or 911 if you witness any crimes! We did see a few windows broken this morning so if your car was broken into, you may want to get them repaired asap (photos above).]

2) Subject: Local Contractor reviews
Some of the other neighborhoods in our fine borough offer this service via the parent network. Being a parent myself, I’m always looking for people that can build, paint, repair, plumb and wire. Any suggestions? Carl.

[Ed Note: Can anyone provide any suggestions for Carl?]

3) Subject: Washington St Repairs
Washington Street is being repaired with new Belgian Blocks. This is great news. I’m wondering, are you going to do work on Main Street next?

[Ed Note: We're not part of Dumbo Improvement District, but their website states that "three blocks of Washington Street from York Street to Plymouth Street will be completely repaired and restored" and they are continually lobbying the City to restore the Belgian block roadbed as part of the reconstruction. The above roadwork photo was taken this morning as the DOT was working on fixing the Belgian blocks on Washington Street.]

125 years ago, at 2pm on May 24, 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge officially opened. New York City is celebrating the bridge’s birthday with a week of events. With Dumbo situated at the foot of the bridge, the Dumbo Improvement District, with support from the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs and NYC Department Of Transportation organized and unveiled a permanent public art project and upgrade to the Brooklyn Bridge pedestrian walkway at Washington and Prospect Streets today at 2pm. The permanent installation features fiber optic and LED lighting and art (consistent with their environmental efforts), a map and signage under the bridge, and metal signs and directional compass on the sidewalks.

Dumbo Improvement District Executive Director Tucker Reed, NYC Department of Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, and Lisa Kim, Director, Percent for Art Program were in Dumbo to unveil these walkway improvements. Marty Markowitz said, “With these beautiful new signs and lights, visitors will have an easier time locating the Bridge’s pedestrian walkway and breathtaking views, as well as the wonders of Dumbo, the epicenter of ‘hip’ in Brooklyn.” As many Dumbo residents can attest, visitors and tourists to the area used to be confused about where to go for the Bridge, or directions to the park, Brooklyn Heights, or a neighboring community. Not only will these signs help guide them back to Brooklyn Bridge or Manhattan, but also liven up the previously dark underpass with unique and interesting lighting.

Coinciding with the public art lighting, the 2008 celebration will kick off with a public birthday party on Thursday, May 22nd at the Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park DUMBO, featuring live music by the Brooklyn Philharmonic, Grucci fireworks, and the unveiling of special bridge lighting that will illuminate the bridge from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. through Memorial Day. (More at nyc.gov)

The signage and public art lighting installation was created by Emphasis Design, Tillet Lighting Design and KT3D, and is entitled “This Way.”

{Dumbo Improvement District 2007 Initiatives, 04Mar2007}
{Brooklyn Bridge Lighting Flickr Set}

In the first video of a 4 part series, TreeHugger founder Graham Hill discusses with Ben Harper the transformation of a parking area in the Pearl Street Triangle into a pedestrian ‘oasis’. The response to the reimagined triangle was met with both praise and criticism for its lack of a permanent ’solution’ for pedestrians with in ground trees and the lack of a cafe. Reopening of the Manhattan Bridge archway should make the triangle more accessible as a pedestrian park. The triangle was the first of about 31 plaza projects to be completed by 2009. The Dumbo Improvement District contributed $25,000 to the project, and the city $20,000.

The Dumbo Improvement District is currently cleaning up the triangle for the spring season. They are also hosting an Earth Day celebration at Jan Larsen Art at the Pearl Street Triangle next Tuesday, April 22 at 6:30-8:30pm as part of their SEED program. “Learn about how Dumbo has gotten “greener” this spring, what’s in store for the neighborhood, & meet your new “green” neighbors!” Drinks & light refreshments will be served. RSVP to jane@dumbonyc.org. More info on their website (dumbonyc.org).

GREEN DEETS 016: Ben Harper 01 from George Spyros on Vimeo.

{Ben Harper — Pearl Street Triangle Re-imagined, 14Apr2008, TreeHugger}
{New Sculptures at Pearl St Triangle, 31Aug07}
{Streetfilms Coverage of Pearl St Triangle, 15Aug07}
{Pearl Street Triangle Unveiling Press Conference, 07Aug07}
{Pearl Street Triangle Moving Quickly, 28Jun07}
{Pearl Street Triangle Plaza Begins Work, 25Jun07}

There will be a dedication at 5:30pm today, for Tom Otterness’ Large Covered Wagon. The 15.5 foot long, seven feet tall bronze sculpture is located on the corner of Prospect Street and Washington Street in Clumber Corner. The Brooklyn-based Otterness created Large Covered Wagon in his DUMBO studio where he worked for many years; the Otterness workshop has recently moved to larger space in Gowanus. According to the plaque next to the statue, the project is made possible by a grant from Two Trees Management Co. and the Walentas Foundation and sponsored by the Dumbo Improvement District. While this art is a welcome addition to the neighborhood, a dark past surfaced on the McBrooklyn blog. Both McBrooklyn and Brooklyn Daily Eagle received an apology to a past regrettable incident from the artist who said that “It was an indefensible act that I am deeply sorry for”. The installation will be on view through January 2009.

{Dumbo on the Range, 12Apr2008, Brooklyn Paper}
{Otterness Does DUMBO, 13Apr2008, Gothamist}
{Brooklyn’s vibrant arts community is getting a really huge humorous Sculpture, 13Apr2008, Artbistro}
{Artist Otterness Apologizes for Decades-Old Dog-Killing Incident, 14Apr2008, Brooklyn Daily Eagle}

SEED Film Screenings at St. Ann’s Warehouse
38 Water Street
Saturday, April 5, 2008
1:00 - 6:00PM

FREE & Open to the Public

City of Water
1:00 - 2:00PM
The Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance and the Municipal Art Society are proud to present their new documentary City of Water about the future of New York City’s waterfront. Two years in the making, City of Water explores the aspirations of public officials, environmentalists, academics, community activists, recreational boaters and everyday New Yorkers for a diverse, vibrant waterfront at a time when the shoreline is changing faster than at any other time in New York’s history.

The RENEWAL Documentary
2:30 - 4:00PM
RENEWAL is the first feature-length documentary to capture the breadth and vitality of America’s religious-environmental movement. In rural communities, suburbs and cities, people of faith are rolling up their sleeves in practical and far-reaching ways. Offering a profound message of hope, RENEWAL shows individuals and communities driven by the deepest source of inspiration - their spiritual and religious convictions - being called to re-examine what it means to be human and how we live on this planet.

Throughout, RENEWAL attempts to paint an honest picture of how much work will be needed to stem the tide of environmental devastation. Its compelling characters and stories inspire the vision and commitment that addressing the challenge will require.

TreeHuggerTV in Conversation with Ben Harper
4:15PM
TreeHuggerTV is a news source dedicated to eco-optimism and everything that has a modern aesthetic yet is environmentally responsible. With fun and thought-provoking contributors from around the world focusing on the people and ideas that are leading the modern eco-revolution, they seek to make your day a little more green! In TreeHuggerTV’s latest installment, Graham Hill speaks with musician and activist, Ben Harper, while walking through DUMBO. Ben shares his passions and concerns for environmental issues and offers his personal everyday practical solutions to issues we face today.

The SEED film screenings are made possible through partnerships with Rooftop Films and St. Ann’s Warehouse

For details on Smart Environmental Efforts in DUMBO (SEED), go to dumbonyc.org.

(Photo courtesy of epc)

The NYPD deployed Sky Watch yesterday, a “mobile platform for surveillance, assessment, and response” on Front Street between Adams and Pearl Street in Dumbo Brooklyn. We haven’t had a chance to check with NYPD how long they’ll be there, but could this be a result of the recent crime in Dumbo and Vinegar Hill? The menacing looking Sky Watch has high powered sensors, cameras, mics, and spotlights and was rolled out to high crime areas of Crown Heights and Harlem in 2006. We’ve seen a lot more foot patrol in the area since the Precinct meeting last week, which is great, but is this over the top?

{Increased Crime in Dumbo at Night, 11Mar2008}
{84 Precinct Council Meeting, 12Mar2008}
{Arrest of Three Men in Vinegar Hill, 18Mar2008}
{Sky Watch: For Officers and Overseers, 09Oct2007, Razor Apple}

On Thursday, March 20, the Dumbo Improvement District begins a series of events for their SEED (Smart Environmental Efforts in Dumbo) initiative. The programming starts with the opening of an art exhibition, Oil Drum Art, and a panel discussion on environmentally friendly parenting.

• Oil Drum Art Exhibition opens Thu, March 20 at Gallery 202 of the 111 Front Street Galleries through Friday, Mar 2, 2008.
• “How to Green Your Kid”: Monday, March 24 at 7pm at the powerHouse Arena. This panel discussion includes Alexandra Zissu, co-author of The Complete Organic Pregnancy; Marisa Belger, founding editor of Lime.com and TODAYshow.com contributor; and Lynda Fassa, author of Green Babies, Sage Moms: The Ultimate Guide to Raising Your Organic Baby. The panel will be moderated by Josh Dorfman of the “Lazy Environmentalist” on Sirius Radio.

{SEED Events March (PDF), Dumbo Improvement District}
{Oil Drum Art Press Release (PDF), Dumbo Improvement District}
Previously:
{Dumbo Turning Greener, 30Jan2008}

With the help of students from P.S. 307, Tattfoo Tan, a Malaysian-born artist, has installed a mural on Front Street in Dumbo Brooklyn, based on his “Nature Matching System” place mat. The mural is made of 10 inch wood squares painted by the students and is a nice addition to the neighborhood while passing under the Manhattan Bridge.

The project is sponsored by the New York City Department of Transportation and the DUMBO Improvement District. This is the “first installation in the DOT’s Temporary Art Program, which will enliven neighborhoods by working with local artists in partnership with business improvement districts and local community organizations.”

The place mat is available free at Foragers Market (56 Adams Street) and the mural will be on view through January 2009.

(Image courtesy of tattfoo.com)

{NY Times, Home & Garden}
{NYC DOT Press Release (pdf)}
{DOT Unveils First City Temporary Art Program in DUMBO, 26Feb2008, Brooklyn Daily Eagle}

You may have noticed those green and blue recycle bins around Dumbo installed late last week. They are part of Dumbo Improvement District’s neighborhood sustainability program called Smart Environmental Efforts in DUMBO (SEED). Included in the initiatives are the installation of bicycle racks (below) to encourage alternative modes of transportation. The DID planted 52 trees in Dumbo last year, so the SEED program continues the ‘greening’ of Dumbo. From their most recent newsletter:

“This spring, the Dumbo Improvement District plans to formally launch a neighborhood sustainability program: Smart Environmental Efforts in DUMBO (SEED). The program is meant to demonstrate the ease of environmental action on the most local level. SEED was built on a foundation of five initiatives that encourage: public recycling, alternative modes of transportation, consumption reduction, greater energy efficiency and environmental education.

The Improvement District is looking for DUMBO stakeholders to join SEED’s steering committee. Please email jane@dumbonyc.org if you are interested in working with us to help DUMBO go green.”

The Landmarks Preservation Commission has granted landmark status to the Dumbo Historic District.

The Commission voted unanimously 8-0 this afternoon to protect the blocks and 91 historic buildings in Dumbo. The new historic district is bound by John Street to the north, York Street to the south, Main Street to the west and Bridge Street to the east. According to the LPC, the Dumbo area was “essential to Brooklyn’s rise as a major American industrial center and was the home of some of the most important industrial firms in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century America including Arbuckle Brothers (coffee and sugar), J. W. Masury & Son (paint), Robert Gair (paper boxes), E. W. Bliss (machinery), and Brillo (steel wool). The buildings in the district reflect the extraordinary diversity of Brooklyn’s industrial development, with manufactured and processed goods including coffee, tea, sugar, machinery, paint, varnish, paper boxes, shoes, soap, ale, and steel wool. By the early twentieth century, Brooklyn was the fourth largest manufacturing center in the entire country and a significant portion of this manufacturing was done in DUMBO.”

The Dumbo Historic District also protects its dramatic streetscapes. The Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan Bridge soar over the Belgian Block streets, some with remnants of the old Jay Street Connecting Railroad along Plymouth Street, to connect the former warehouses. In 1959, the Jay Street Connecting Railroad ceased to operate. Commission Chairman Robert B. Tierney states:

“DUMBO’s distinctively designed buildings and sublime vistas survive to this day, and still define its character, even as it has evolved into a largely residential neighborhood. This designation will ensure that this still-evolving neighborhood retains its unique historic character.”

Now the City Council needs to sign off on the designation. City Councilman David Yassky has publicly supported Dumbo landmarking and testified at the LDC that Dumbo is worthy of preservation.

LPC Press Release: Landmarks Preservation Commission Designates Dumbo As New York City’s 90th Historic District (pdf)

Previously:
{Dumbo Historic District Landmark Moving Forward, 31Oct07}
{LPC Public Hearing for Dumbo Historic District Tomorrow, 29Oct07}
{Dumbo Landmarking Calendared for 30Oct2007, 01Oct07}
{LPC Voted 8-0 to Consider Dumbo a Historic District, 26July07}
{Dumbo Historic District to Be Calendared Today, 24July07}
{NY Times Highlights Dumbo Neighborhood Association, 4June2007 }
{Any Feedback from the LPC Meeting?, 19April2007}
{Dumbo Landmarking Meeting on Thursday at 10am, 17April2007}