Galapagos Art Space in Williamsburg (Photo courtesy of editrrix)

According to today’s New York Times article, Galapagos Art Space, which has been a draw for performing arts and a healthy bar scene in Williamsburg Brooklyn since 1995 have announced that they will move to Dumbo Brooklyn at 16 Main Street (on the corner of Water Street), a 102 year old, 10,000 square foot former horse stable in the Spring or Summer of 2008. The Two Trees Management owned space will double the size of the existing Galapagos space in Williamsburg for half the rent. According to the NY Times article, the rent at Galapagos increased to by $10,000 a month in Dec 2005 and will increase by another 30% next month. Robert Elmes, the founder of Galapagos, explains how the Walentas family has kept art in NYC:

For the past decade Two Trees Management and David and Jed Walentas have worked hard to grow DUMBO into one of New York City’s most important neighborhood for art and culture. But they’ve done more than that. They’ve created the template by which the interests of real estate and cultural New York can grow together – effectively creating their own 421-a cultural program and proving that it works for all the stakeholders involved. Their assistance in our moving to DUMBO has been instrumental. It’s the reason we are able to move to DUMBO and why we can afford to stay in New York City.

This is wonderful news for Dumbo and its art scene. I was first introduced to Galapagos (and Williamsburg) in the late 1990s when the area was still primarily non-residential and they were considered pioneers in the neighborhood. A Galapagos move to the developed area of Dumbo strengthens the art scene with St. Ann’s Warehouse down the street and PowerHouse Arena on the opposite corner on Main and Water Streets. The current space in Galapagos, with its mesmorizing water reflection pool and industrial space showcases musicians, theatre artists, dancers and painters, and will continue to draw crowds when it moves to Dumbo.

16 Main Street, Dumbo (Photo from NY Times, credit: Christopher W. Havens/Two Trees Management)

{www.galapagosartspace.com}
{Arts Space in Brooklyn to Get New Digs, 30May2007, NYTimes.com}

 Clocktower (From the clock in One Main Street), Photo courtesy of Sam Rohn – Location Scout

 Main Street, Dumbo, with view of Manhattan Bridge. The Walentas Building, 1 Main Street to the right. 2/14/07 (Photo by DumboNYC)

In this series of “Dumbo Streetscapes Then and Now”, we are looking at photos down Main Street, south from Front Street, showing the Brooklyn Bridge in the background. In the 80 year old photo, circa 1926, the street between Front and York Streets used to be a block of rowhouses with retail/commercial storefronts. They were probably torn down to make way for the Brooklyn Queens Expressway and the off-ramps. The current location of the block between York and Front Streets is a parking lot owned by the Jehovah’s Witnesses. The top left corner of the 1926 photo shows a tiny part of the crown of the 70 Washington Street building (click on photo to show larger version of photo). The background shows the Brooklyn Bridge at the center. The current photo shows Brooklyn Bridge behind the Brooklyn Queens Expressway and the off ramp of the Old Fulton Street exit. The parking lot is supposedly zoned for 8-9 story residential use, but not sure if any decision will be made to develop the lot. (Anyone have any ideas?)

   1926 (click on photo to show larger version of photo)

   December, 2006

{New York Public Library photo of Main Street Looking South from Front Street}
{Dumbo Then and Now: Washington and York Street}
{Dumbo Then and Now: Plymouth Street West of Pearl Street}

  Sweeney Building, 30 Main Street, Dumbo Brooklyn, Photo courtesy of Linus Gelber
  (Click for larger version)

[DumboNYC.com is on vacation for Thanksgiving. In the meantime, take a look at some of the best photos of Dumbo. Have a great weekend!]