Dumbo NYC

We noticed some work being done in the retail location in the 70 Washington Street building on Front Street with a Mikey’s Hookup sticker on the door. We’ve confirmed with Mikey on the new store location. They are a multimedia supply store that’s an authorized Apple dealer and authorized Apple repair center. The store will offer a ‘bar’ for people to speak to certified Apple technicians. They also offer business and home repairs for Apple, PC’s, networking, and home theater setup. It’s good to see an independent owner coming to the neighborhood. Mikey’s Hookup has two Williamsburg locations.

If you’re into music/recording, the Dumbo store will also stock DJ supplies, pro audio, video, photo, printing, guitar equipment, and home theater equipment.

We spoke with Mikey, who gave us some other tidbits:

We’ll have a regulation size Olympic ping ping table for passing the time. I’m a huge fan of table tennis and I’m always looking for a good challenge. I’m hoping to be open in the beginning of September. I’m accepting resumes via email for anybody that’s knowledgeable in apple-audio-video to work in the dumbo location.

Please email dumbo@mikeyshookup.com if you’re interested. The address for Mikey’s Hookup will be 70 Front Street and the space is 2,165 sqft. They signed a 10 year lease. Welcome to the neighborhood!

Williamsburg location:

From the inbox…More car break-ins on Front Street, Brooklyn Bridge Park meeting notes, and questions for Vinegar Hill residents after the jump. Thanks for your emails. Apologies if I haven’t been able to get to all of them.

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Blue Barn Pictures has set up an open studios evening on Thursday, May 15 from 5-10pm. Open Studios is a chance to meet some of the artists, designers, architects, and other creative businesses who share the 147 Front Street address in Dumbo, Brooklyn. Businesses will be selling their art, fashion, services, and designs and dishing up local food and entertainment.

The businesses participating in Open Studios on Thursday are:

• reBar / Coffee Box
• Goloborotko’s Studio NY
• P.S. Bookshop
• fangohr
• H & A Upholstery
• Stewart/Stand
• Jan Larsen Art
• The White Gown
• Halcyon
• Mesh Architectures
• NatureVsFuture
• Mark Crosby Photography
• Sencha Wellness Center
• DiDi’s Dog Boutique
• Bridge Pilates
• Cinderloop
• Yodi
• Linton Media Inc.
• Journey Home
• Samoy Lenko
• Lauren Wimmer Jewelry
• Joshua Wolfe Photography
• Joanna Pertz Landscape Architecture
• Indigo Handloom
• Aimee G Clothiers
• Stefan Killen Photography
• Blue Barn Pictures
• Boro Architects
• The Untitled Project

Blue Barn Pictures is a film/video production company that provides all phases of a film production and is based in the 147 Front/68 Jay Street building in Dumbo.

After the reported fire that started with the garbage in the J Condo property that damaged parts of the building next door, we saw this notice on the door of Spring:

We caught up with one of the founders/owners of Spring, Anna Cosentino, who has been working hard to reopen her gallery and exhibition space at all hours.

“We at SPRING have unfortunately suffered a devastating loss of business and personal property that could easily put us out of business. The flames started entering our back room and the sprinkler went off alerting the fire department. Between the fire, smoke and water we are completely overwhelmed let alone the fact that we were preparing for one of the most exciting and busy times for our business - BKLYN Designs, the photo shows and ICFF all coming up this month.”

The FDNY incident report states that they “arrived to find a large rubbish fire up against the side of 126 front St, with possible extension to the building”. They are still investigating. When they first arrived at the scene, they headed along the side of J Condo behind the gate, then broke into the the gallery. It must be terrible times, but we hope that the neighborhood can come together to support them. Spring is hoping to re-open on Saturday or so in time for BKLYN Designs, the NY Photo Festival, and other upcoming exhibitions. To contact Spring (even a note of encouragement will help), email design@spring3d.net or visit them this weekend for the BKLYN Designs weekend.

spring design&art (spring3d.net)
126a Front Street (@ Pearl St in DUMBO)
Brooklyn NY 11201
T 718.222.1054
design@spring3d.net

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Some residents found their cars towed this past Monday due to several parking regulation changes made over the weekend. According to the Department of Transportation, there will be further parking changes in the near future and advised to check signs. The following parking changes were made:

• Front Street: North side Main to Washington Street - 2 Hour Limited Parking
• Front Street: North side Dock to Main Street - 2 Hour Limited Parking
• Front Street: South side York to Washington Street - 2 Hour Limited Parking
• Front Street: South side Washington St to Adams St -2 Hour Limited Parking
• Water Street: North side Pearl St to Hudson Ave - No Standing Anytime
• Water Street: South side Pearl St to Hudson Ave - No Parking 8-9:30 Friday

{New Street Parking Spots in Dumbo, 24Aug2007}

The previous post on NYPD’s Sky Watch got mostly positive comments on the NYPD’s response to the recent crime in Dumbo. Some took the post as complaining, which is absolutely not the case. I really wanted to convey appreciation to the NYPD for taking action based on the overwhelming concerns that residents and business owners had on neighborhood safety. Thank you to Captain Alan Abel of the 84th Precinct and our officers who heard our concerns! I spoke with three of our officers yesterday who told me that Sky Watch has reduced crime and should be in Dumbo for “maybe several weeks”. If they’re at Front Street Pizza or at J Condo, they’re likely on their break, so before you think they’re wasting time, thank them for looking out for us. (You can call the Precinct at (718) 875-6811 to give positive feedback too).

(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}

The vinegar Hill Veterinary Group is having a ‘meet and greet’ open house on Saturday, March 29 (5-8pm) for the neighbors to get to know Dr. Sara Neuman, the new vet in town.

Bring your dogs, cats, and pigs for some treats and wine and cheese will be served for guests.

We’ve received some good feedback from neighbors about the vet. The owner of Cholula, the beloved pig of Dumbo checked in with us:

Dr. Neuman spayed our pig and could not have been nicer, more professional or more caring throughout the entire process. Knowing how many pets there seem to be in Dumbo its probably a huge relief for many owners (that are aware the clinic is open) to have a Vet so close. Dr. Neuman and her husband run a fantastic clinic and my wife and I can’t thank them enough for how well they have treated our pig.

Congratulations to the Vinegar Hill Veterinary Group on their opening.

Dr. Sara B. Neuman
Vinegar Hill Veterinary Group
57 Front St Unit 101
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Office: (718) 797-6875

Previously:
{Boymelgreen leases 57 Front Street to Veterinary, 20Dec2007}
{Dumbo’s Pig, 14Feb2008}

Our Vinegar Hill correspondent witnessed the arrest of three young men in front of 206 Front Street last night at approximately 9pm. They were not there to see what the men did, but saw a police car with two officers called to the scene to put the three men in custody. Three additional officers who were on duty patrolling the streets were there. Several people have commented on this site that they have noticed an increased presence of police officers and cars patrolling Dumbo and Vinegar Hill after several muggings were reported last week and residents started calling the 84th Precinct and David Yassky’s office (718-875-5200). One of the victims shared his story last week and another comment reported a separate incident in Vinegar Hill by “a group of kids”.

There is a 84th Precinct Council Meeting tonight at 7pm in Dumbo (Phoenix House, 50 Jay Street, between Plymouth and Water) to address and report on the recent crimes. Call the precinct at (718) 875-6811 or their community affairs line for further information at (718) 875-6850.

{Increased Crime in Dumbo at Night, 11Mar2008}
{84 Precinct Council Meeting in Dumbo, 12Mar2008}

 1938 [+ enlarge]

 March, 2008 [+ enlarge]

In this series of “Dumbo Streetscapes Then and Now”, a 1938 photograph by Percy Loomis Sperr of the corner of Front and Jay Street looks southwest from the west side of Jay Street. A previous Then and Now post is also on the corner but facing northeast.

Both the old and new photos have some common elements: the Manhattan Bridge approach and the 110 York Street building on the left and the small sliver of the existing building at 126 Front Street (the building where Superfine and Spring are located) on the right. The 70 year old photo shows three 2-3 story structures replaced by a 33 story residential building, J Condo (100 Jay Street), built in 2006. In both photos, the fire hydrant stays where it is. The 110 York building is the Scarano Architect headquarters, which added the Jetsons-like structure on top.

On the back of the NY Public Library photo:
“Jay Street, west side, south from Front Street, showing in the background the approach to the Manhattan Bridge”, April 4, 1938

{New York Public Library photo of Front and Jay Street, 1938}
{Google Street View, corner of Jay and Front St.}
{Dumbo Then and Now, series, DumboNYC}