Long time Dumbo-based artist Jen Ferguson is teaching fall art classes (both private and group) at her studio at 55 Washington Street for kids aged 4-12. All classes are geared around painting, drawing, printmaking and sculpture. Students are exposed to differing techniques and projects are tailored to their interests. These art sessions are meant to encourage children’s creativity while teaching important skills with materials as well as developing problem solving and concentration. They will also be introduced to the work of different artists and techniques as well as have a place to experiment with their own ideas. Class size is usually 4-5 students at most.

For more information, go to her website.

Her studio will also be open for the Dumbo Arts Festival during the September 28 weekend.

Possum Paint Studio
55 Washington Street, third floor, #317
(917) 968 4919; possumpaintstudio@gmail.com

Abundant Learning has announced the fall 2012 programs for families and kids:

We’re excited to be starting the fall 2012 semester at Abundant Learning. We have a great schedule lined up for the fall and hope you will join us! At DUMBO Einsteins, we are continuing our roster of programs for 3 and 4 year olds. Many preschool early learning programs are geared only towards socialization. We realize the importance of socialization and weave ideas of kindness, empathy, participation, and sharing into a structured classroom with direct instruction revolving around literacy, art, mathematics, and chess.

A great addendum to our Einsteins program is French Immersion/Painting with Sophie Sejourne. Students will play with color through drawing and painting in both French and English. As the semester progresses, the class will become a complete immersion French environment. Contact Liz at liz@abundantlearning.org if you have any questions, or would like to set up a parent observation or free trial class.

We also offer a fantastic chess program, which includes both Individual Chess Memberships, which offer up to 35 exclusive sessions with our chess master for the 2012-2013 school year, and Supervised Group Play, where elementary aged students can join our chess master for small group instruction Thursdays at 4:00pm. We will also be hosting a free Simultaneous Exhibition under the Manhattan Bridge Archway with Grandmaster Alexander Stripunsky on Sunday, September 23rd starting at 1:00 PM. Please email Jason at jason@abundantlearning.org to reserve a spot.

Abundant Learning is also teaming up with Karma Kids Yoga to offer a great variety of yoga classes. Classes start the week of September 9th. On Sundays we have Parent & Child Yoga (for walkers – 3 year olds), Family Yoga (for 4-6 year olds), and Mom/Dad & Baby Yoga (for 6 week olds – new walkers). Thursdays offer Parent & Child Yoga and Mom/Dad & Baby Yoga. Starting September 19th we will also be offering a kids-only drop-off class for kids aged 3.5 – 5 years old. Contact Rachel at rachel@abundantlearning.org to reserve your spot or with any questions.

In addition to group classes, we also offer private tutoring. Liz Craynon Frank and Traci Timmons are now scheduling 2012/2013 Literacy Sessions. We offer individualized, one to one tutoring for ages 4 to adult. Our students range from those desiring a bit of enrichment or support for their summer reading requirements, to those seeking intense literacy intervention. We can create a proactive curriculum for a younger student, giving him or her a head start for successful reading and handwriting or we can design a program for students who have fallen behind their peers. Liz and Traci both have in-depth experience using Lindamood Bell, which is multi-sensory, research-based instruction.

Traci and Liz are available to schedule sessions 1-4 times a week depending on the student’s needs and availability. Please feel free to contact us at 917-727-8839 or liz@abundantlearning.org for additional information.

For more details on classes, pricing, and upcoming events please visit our website.

Abundant Learning
68 Jay Street, Suite #513
Brooklyn, NY 11201
917-727-8839

Dabney Lee, based in Dumbo has been selling her modern and classy aesthetic products for home and office via wholesale in boutiques across the country and online. Dabney Lee will be opening their first retail location at 45 Washington Street in Dumbo, replacing the Copy Rite, which moved to their new location at 63 Pearl Street. The retail location will be approximately 900 square feet and will feature Dabney Lee products as well as other products.

The store will open during the Dumbo Arts Festival on September 28. Congratulations Dabney!

Dabney Lee (dabneylee.com)
45 Washington Street, Brooklyn NY 11201
orders@dabneylee.com

Crossfit Dumbo, the fitness coaching facility at 48 Pearl Street is taking registrations for the Whole Life Challenge (through September 8, 2012). They’re looking to involve the Dumbo community in seeing what impact you can have on your body, your fitness and your lifestyle habits over the course of 8 weeks, and to train in having a health and fitness practice that is practical and sustainable for the long term.

There are three categories that make up the criteria for the game:

• Performance – How much can you improve in a workout (faster time, more reps, better score)?
• Body – How many inches can you lose off of your body (based on circumferential measurements)?
• Lifestyle & Accountability – How consistent can you be over 56 days in maintaining healthy habits
  and being accountable for your results in your daily life?

To register, go to wholelifechallenge.com/users/sign_up.

Being a member at the Crossfit Dumbo gym is NOT a requirement. You can just join in this challenge as friends and family. Crossfit Dumbo is offering prizes for the best results at the end of the 8 week challenge. As Crossfit Dumbo states, “Join the herd”.

Download Whole Life Challenge flyer (2mb, pdf)

CrossFit Dumbo (CrossfitDumbo.com)
48 Pearl Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: 347.227.7725
crossfitdumbo@gmail.com

Previously:
{CrossFit Dumbo Grand Opening Party, 08Jun2012}
{CrossFit Dumbo Relocating to 48 Pearl Street, 18Apr2012}

B25 Bus (Photo by Jane Kratochvil)

According to a press release today, State Senator Daniel Squadron announced that the MTA will make major bus and train service expansions and restorations in and between Brooklyn and Manhattan, including a brand new Brooklyn Tech Triangle bus route for which Sen. Squadron and stakeholders will lead the planning effort. MTA is creating other new bus routes in Brooklyn and Manhattan, listed by New York Daily News. Senator Squadron has been actively seeking input from the community on transportation issues.

“Brooklyn’s tech industry is changing the face of New York – and now, we’ll have a bus route that will allow the booming Tech Triangle to continue to grow and innovate,” Senator Squadron stated in the release. The new service will connect Downtown Brooklyn, Dumbo, Vinegar Hill and the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The route will be determined with input from stakeholders. However, it potentially could be an extension of the B25 bus line, moving the bus from Main Street where it becomes delayed by congestion.

According to Community Board 2, if approved at the NYC Transit Committee meeting scheduled for July 23, 2012, implementation of these and other service investments will be phased in over the course of a year beginning in October.

(Photo by Ben A Cobb Photo)

There is a heat advisory through Friday, June 22, 7pm in NYC. Heat index values are up to 104 degrees today and 95 degrees on Friday. Con Edison urges all customers to use electricity wisely as crews work around the clock to keep the power flowing to 9 million New Yorkers.

Some steps to stay cool include:

• Making sure air conditioner filters are clean for peak efficiency;
• Setting thermostats no lower than 78 degrees. Each degree lower increases cooling costs by 6 percent;
• Closing off the rooms not being used if you have a room air conditioner; if you have central air, block the vents in unused or vacant rooms;
• Turning off lights and other appliances, using a timer to turn them on as necessary;
• Running appliances such as ovens, washing machines, dryers, and dishwashers in the early morning or late at night when it’s generally cooler. Another alternative: using a microwave to cook, or a barbecue outside, if possible.
• Accepting Con Edison’s offer of a free programmable thermostat if you have central air conditioning. Program the thermostat manually or from the Internet. Turning off your air conditioner when you’re not there beats leaving it on all the time, and programming it instead to turn on before you return is a wise way to save on summer electric bills. To learn more about Con Edison’s free programmable thermostat, call 1-866-521-8600 or visit www.conEd.com/cool.

The company has reduced voltage by 5 percent in some neighborhoods in Queens and Brooklyn due to problems on electrical equipment and done as a precaution to protect equipment and maintain service as crews work to repair the problems. Con Edison has asked customers in these areas not to use appliances such as washers, dryers, air conditioners and other energy-intensive equipment, and to turn off lights and televisions when not needed until the equipment problems are resolved.

Customers can report power interruptions or service problems, view service restoration information and the outage map online at www.conEd.com or call 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-663) promptly if they are experiencing any service difficulties. When reporting an outage, customers should have their Con Edison account number available, if possible, and report whether their neighbors also have lost power. Customers who report outages will be called by Con Edison with their estimated restoration times as they become available.

Related:
{Think of This When You’re Outside Today}

 [+]

 [+]

On June 19th, 2012, the Brooklyn Bridge Park Board of Directors voted to approve a mixed-use development including residential and hotel units, restaurant and retail space, as well as a banquet hall and fitness center on Pier 1 of the Brooklyn Bridge Park. This project will generate funds over the term of the lease to fund maintenance and operations of the park and allow Brooklyn Bridge Park to continue building and maintaining its beautiful waterfront park for future generations.

As Brownstoner and Curbed reported, the winning design by Rogers Marvel incorporates a 10-story structure with both hotel and residential as well as a five-story building with just residential.

The NYC Office of the Mayor announcement (PDF) says the venture between Toll Brothers City Living and Starwood Capital Group will develop the 550,000 square foot complex that will include a 200 room luxury hotel and 159 residential units adjacent to Pier 1. The hotel will be called 1 Hotel and the proposed building plan will feature 16,000 square feet of restaurant space, 16,000 square feet of banquet and meeting space, 2,000 square feet of retail space, a 6,000 square foot spa and fitness center, and 300 parking spaces.

Over the course of the lease term, the development is projected to result in $119.7 million in net present value of revenue from a variety of sources to help fund the maintenance and operations of sections of the park that are built or underway. Upon completion, the project will generate a projected total of $3.3 million annually in rent and payments in lieu of taxes from residential unit owners and the hotel operator to maintain the park.

Development is expected to break ground by summer 2013 and open the hotel and residential building in the fall of 2015.

 [+]

 [+]

(Photo credit: Rogers Marvel Architects, PLLC)

 [+]

Kirkman Lofts is introducing the three remaining townhouses at the development at 37 Bridge Street. All simplex units have been sold, bringing the development to 93% sold. The new model unit showcases Townhouse A, the first townhouse at Kirkman Lofts to be released on the market, which is a 2,512 square foot, three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom home listed for $2,600,000. The townhouses are each four-story, three-bedroom units featuring private entrances, internal elevators and spacious roof decks.

Similar to other new recent condo developments in Dumbo (205 Water Street, 192 Water Street), the Kirkman Lofts condos have sold at asking and we expect these townhouses to go at the listed prices, given the demand for single family homes and low vacancy rates. More interior photos after the jump.
Read the rest of this entry »

On Saturday, June 9, 2012 from 10am – 2pm, you are invited to try a free demo clas at CrossFit Dumbo. Free cemo classes start every hour from 10am. (Wear comfortable gym attire, bring water and be ready to have fun!). The Vita Coco team will also be there to hydrate you. One lucky person will get a free month in their raffle.

CrossFit Dumbo will also have a Grand Opening Party in the evening from 7pm. Get dressed, bring friends and have some drinks and appetizers with the CrossFit Dumbo community. Featured artwork by Craig Anthony Miller, the artist of Water Street mural.

Date: Saturday, June 9th, 2012
Time: 10am-2pm – free demo classes, 7:00pm – 12am – Opening party
Location: CrossFit Dumbo, 48 Pearl Street, Brooklyn NY 11201
Attire for the opening party: Its not everyday we get to see you all in your “real people” clothes!
Guests: Bring some friends along and lets have some fun!

CrossFit Dumbo (CrossfitDumbo.com)
48 Pearl Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: 347.227.7725
crossfitdumbo@gmail.com

Previously:
{CrossFit Dumbo Relocating to 48 Pearl Street}

The following are the minutes of the special meeting of VHNA and Con Edison held at Phoenix House on 5/23/12. Thank you to Vinegar Hill Neighborhood Association President Aldona Vaiciunas and Brook Stanton for providing the minutes. Click on more to read the full details.

Related:
{Brief recap of the ConEd-VHNA meeting, 25May2012}
{Special Meeting of the Vinegar Hill Neighborhood Association on Fire at ConEd, 22May2012}
{ConEd Substation Explosion Collateral Damage, 14May2012}
{Fire at ConEd Plant in Vinegar Hill Yesterday (Again), 30Apr2012}
{ConEd Transformer Explosion in Dumbo, 16Sept2011}

Read the rest of this entry »