[+]
(Existing site at Brooklyn Bridge Park, Main Street)

 [+]
(preliminary design of Main Street Conversion Site, October 15, 2012)

Brooklyn Bridge Park (BBP) is proposing 37,617 square feet (0.863 acres) of land in the Main Street section of the park at the end of Washington Street a final design for the site. The section of the park is currently used for non-park municipal purposes, the parcels that house an indoor facility that was used by NYC Department of Environmental Protection (NYCDEP) as a water meter testing site, the streetbed of Washington Street, which is currently used as a parking lot for the NYCDEP facility, and a New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) paint shed.

Once developed, these replacement parcels would be integrated into the Main Street section of Brooklyn Bridge Park, which has already been developed as a waterfront park space with beach access.

Leigh Trucks, senior project manager for the Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation (BBPC), will present the park’s final design for the Main Street Conversion Site. The presentation is made for CB2 recommendation to the Public Design Commission.

• The presentation of the preliminary design made at the October 15, 2012 parks committee meeting: PDF file (6mb file)
• A summary of the proposed use of replacement parcels is on the BBPC site (PDF file).

CB2 Parks and Recreation Committee Meeting
Monday, May 20 2013, 6pm
Dining Rooms A&B, Brooklyn Hospital, 121 DeKalb Avenue at St. Felix Street, in Fort Greene

More info on the Main Street Conversion Site.

The Dumbo Improvement District notes that two new restaurants will open in the former Governor and Rice spaces. The Atrium, at 15 Main Street, will offer casual fine dining showcasing locally-sourced, seasonal ingredients. At 81 Washington Street, Mediterranean restaurant Dish is scheduled to open in June.

The Atruim (owned by Cobblestone Restaurant Group) received their liquor license last month. The restaurant seats 63 and will open Mon-Wed 5:30pm-12am, Thur-Sat 11:30am-2am, Sun 11:30am-12am. According to the Community Board 2, the owners of The Atrium have extensive experience in 4 star restaurants in Europe and USA and have worked with Daniel Boloud and Jean Georges.

The Atrium
15 Main Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Mon-Wed 5:30pm-12am
Thur-Sat 11:30am-2am
Sun 11:30am-12am

Dish
81 Washington Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201

Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Main Street Playground (aka pirate ship playground) will reopen on Saturday, April 6, 2013. Hurricane Sandy brought damaging floodwaters to the park’s surface and closed over the winter. Park officials have been replacing the surface with a more colorful and durable material. Come celebrate the re-opening on Saturday, April 6 at 11 am with light refreshments and the Dumbo Kite Flying Society. Please RSVP at malynch@bbpnyc.org.

The L Mag’s annual 50 Best Blocks in Brooklyn was posted last week. Among the best included a few in Dumbo, one in Vinegar Hill, and Brooklyn Heights:

Best Urban Palimpsest: Plymouth Street, between Washington and Main streets, DUMBO
“On one side are old Gairville warehouses, repurposed for start-ups and a (now out-of-business) restaurant; on the other, a mod Brooklyn Bridge Park playground. In the middle are belgian blocks cut through with decommissioned rails, driving over which you might spot an aughts-model sports car (as we did the other day).”

Best Honest-to-Goodness Alleyway: Howard Alley, DUMBO
“Watch a Hollywood movie set in NYC, and you’ll likely see at some point a character dash down an alley. But truth is this city ain’t got many alleys, at least not anymore. (It’s the one thing Chicago has on us.) But this back-passage in DUMBO looks just like the genuine article—much cooler than nearby Fleet Alley, a glorified driveway—complete with a scary door at its end we’d dare never approach, let alone pass through.”

Best-Smelling Block: Front Street, between Adams and Washington streets, DUMBO
“We walk down this street to work almost every day and are greeted by olfactory goodness. First the smell of freshly made juices from Foragers, then the toasted bread from the panini grill at Al Mar, and finally the scent of bacon-y goodness from Peas & Pickles. Then, of course, you cross the street and get assaulted by the mysterious sewage smell outside of West Elm and are forced to recognize that happiness is fleeting and garbage is always around the corner. Such is life.”

Cutest Private Street: Harrison Alley, Vinegar Hill
“If you’ve never wandered through the strange few blocks that constitute Vinegar Hill, you really should. Like, just around the corner from the popular Vinegar Hill House restaurant is this alley, basically a driveway, long-since (always?) fenced off by the people who live in the house at its end. (A curious sculpture surrounds their mailbox on the public side of the fence.) Yet it still has an official city street sign, adorably hanging off a crooked pole.”

Best Bike Lane Block: Flushing Avenue, between Washington Avenue and Hall Street, Clinton Hill
“Just in general, Flushing is one of the borough’s most reliable thoroughfares for cyclists, but the stretch along the Brooklyn Navy Yards, starting at Washington? Pure bliss. Here, there’s an actual cement barrier separating you and your bike from oblivious drivers. It’s almost too good to be true!”

(One of) Five Best Blocks to Live On
College Place, Brooklyn Heights
“Love Lane is the one everyone knows, but it’s this side street off that side street that’s really where you’ll find some of the prettiest housing stock in Brooklyn. Get down to the end and it’s just ridiculously European—plus totally secluded, even though you’re a very short walk away from stores and subways.”

Previously:
{4 of 50 Best Brooklyn Blocks in Dumbo, 03Nov2010}

The following two condos are new to the Dumbo Brooklyn market for the week of March 17-25, 2013:

• 03/19/2013: 85 Adams Street #19C (Corcoran), $999,000 ($857/sf), $987/mo cc, $30/mo tax (421a abatement expires in 2023), 1,165sf, 2 bed, 2 bath
• 03/21/2013: [UPDATE 3/28/2013: Contract signed] 1 Main Street #11D (Sotheby’s), $3,200,000 ($1290/sf), $1495/mo cc, $965/mo tax (J-51 abatement expires in 2013), 2479sf, 3 bed, 2.5 bath

85 Adams Street #19C:
This condo was previously listed for $995k in February 2012, lowered bo $949 a month later, and removed from the market in July. Great views of Manhattan from this 19th story condo. Active listings for this building average $851/sqft.

1 Main Street #11D:
According to public records, this condo unit sold in January 2007 for $2,450,000. (In 2005, sold for $1,9150,000.) This condo is a rare 3 bedroom unit (for Dumbo) with full bathrooms for two bedrooms. Direct views of the East River and Manhattan.

See all ‘new to market’ posts

The following six condos are new to the Dumbo Brooklyn market for the week of February 17-26, 2013. Four of them are 102 Gold Street condos:

• 02/23/2013: [In contract] 102 Gold St, #6F (Corcoran), $589,000 ($861/sf), $348/mo cc, $14/mo tax (15-year 421A tax abatement), 684sf, 1 bed, 1 bath
• 02/21/2013: 42 Main Street #4C (Halstead), $925,000 ($880/sf), $850/mo cc, $37/mo tax, 1050sf, 1 bed, 2 bath
• 02/20/2013: 70 Washington Street, #11V (Halstead), $1,425,000 ($974/sf), $528/mo cc, $80/mo tax (15-year 421A tax abatement), 1,463sf, 2 bed, 2 bath
• 02/19/2013: 102 Gold St, #4F (Corcoran), $485,000 ($741/sf), $333/mo cc, $13/mo tax (15-year 421A tax abatement), 654sf, 1 bed, 1 bath
• 02/19/2013: 102 Gold St, #1R (Corcoran), $895,000 ($706/sf), $645/mo cc, $26/mo tax (15-year 421A tax abatement), 1,267sf, 1 bed, 1.5 bath
• 02/23/2013: 102 Gold St, #5F (Corcoran), $495,000 ($756/sf), $334/mo cc, $13/mo tax (15-year 421A tax abatement), 654sf, 1 bed, 1 bath

102 Gold Street:

70 Washington Street, #11V:

42 Main Street, #4C:

See all ‘new to market’ posts

(Photo from Governor)

We’re sad to hear that Governor restaurant will not reopen. After Hurrican Sandy destroyed the restaurant on October 29, 2012, Governor vowed to rebuild. There was a successful crowdfunding campaign on Gofundme.com that allowed the community to help them rebuild. Dumbo was rooting for them to come back. They, along with the restaurant group’s Gran Electrica and Colonie have given Dumbo quality food choices. However, the “scope and scale of repairing the damage to our restaurant is beyond our means financially.” We wish the Governor staff well.

Statement from the Governor staff:

The humblest of thanks for the outpouring of support and generosity in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. The response from the community, the restaurant industry, and the media has been gracious, thoughtful, and deeply touching. We have, regrettably, been forced to accept that the scope and scale of repairing the damage to our restaurant is beyond our means financially. It is with a very heavy heart that we must face up to this fact.

To all of you who donated so generously to help us realize our vision of rebuilding, we are forever grateful. The myriad concerns related to ending a business have made this process complicated and difficult. However, we plan to refund all who donated to our cause as soon as possible. We truly regret that we were not able to bring Governor back to DUMBO.

Please provide a mailing address and we will issue checks to all of you as soon as we can.

Warmest wishes and all our best,
The Governor family

Happy Thanksgiving Dumbo! The following four condos are new to the Dumbo Brooklyn market for the week of November 12 – 18, 2012:

• 11/13/2012: 1 Main Street #9C (Corcoran), $1,495,000 ($1,255/sf), $656/mo cc, $468/mo tax (J-51 Abatement expires in 2012), 1,191sf, 1 bed, 1.5 bath
• 11/16/2012: 50 Bridge Street #418 (Corcoran), $820,000 ($700/sf), $374/mo cc, $2/mo tax, 1170sf, 3 bed, 2 bath
• 11/18/2012: 133 Water Street #9A (Brown Harris Stevens), $725,000 ($851/sf), $811/mo cc, $27/mo tax, 851sf, 1 bed, 1 bath
• 11/18/2012: 133 Water Street #11D (Brown Harris Stevens), $725,000 ($875/sf), $835/mo cc, $28/mo tax, 828sf, 1 bed, 1 bath

(1 Main Street #9C)

This unit has been relisted, previously offered in July 2012 for $1,695,000. “This view with 180 degrees of jaw-dropping East River” has one bedroom, one bath, laundry room, and the view. There’s a similar floorplan unit on the market on the 12th floor for $1,475,000, $20k less than this 9th floor unit.

(50 Bridge Street #418)

“True Lofts in DUMBO/Vinegar Hill. Embedded structural columns, an eleven (11) foot ceiling, and oversized windows define this configurable two 2-bathroom floorplan. The main space has been carved into a bedroom, a home office, and den. The large eat-in kitchen is separate from the central living space.”

(133 Water Street #9A)

133 Water Street converted from rentals to condos in April. According to Streeteasy, there are 14 recorded sales averaging $817 per square feet (not all units have been released to market) and 3 are in contract.

(133 Water Street #11D)

See all ‘new to market’ posts

The JAR Group, a digital marketing firm and nLytics, a collaborative analytics platform, both based in Dumbo are hosting A Night with Macallan in Dumbo on Monday, September 24, 2012 from 6:30-9:30pm with Bower Hill Society. This event is a wonderful chance to sample some fine Macallan rare Scotch expressions and help a great cause. Macallan’s brand ambassador and world-renowned expert, Charlie Whitfield, will share a variety of Sherry Oak and Fine Oak expressions. Hor’doeuvres will be served.

Where: The JAR Group, 45 Main Street, #406, Brooklyn NY 11201
When: Monday, September 24, 2012 from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
Tickets: macallandumbo.eventbrite.com

(A portion of all profits will be donated to the Step Up Woman’s Network, a national, nonprofit membership organization dedicated to connecting and advancing women and girls.)

The following two condos are new to the Dumbo Brooklyn market for the week of July 16-22, 2012:

• 7/19/2012: 28 Old Fulton Street #3K – Fulton Ferry Landing (Corcoran), $875,000 ($729/sf), $1,347/mo cc, 1200sf, 2 bed, 2 bath
• 7/19/2012: 1 Main Street #9C (Sotheby’s), $1,695,000 ($1,423/sf), $656/mo cc, $468 tax, 1191sf, 1 bed, 1.5 bath

(28 Old Fulton Street, #3K)

This coop unit in the 1894 Eagle Warehouse building has a corner exposure bedroom (NW corner of the building) with Brooklyn Bridge and water views. The landmarked building has 85 units and is across the street from Grimaldi’s pizza.

(1 Main Street, #9C)

A high floor with a direct view of Manhattan in 1 Main has a premium price, as this unit does. Recent sales in the building averaged $1,084 per square feet, according to Streeteasy.com.

See all ‘new to market’ posts