In a photo taken by joshderr, he noticed construction on the corner of Prospect and Jay Street before realizing that it is some sort of art work. He says:

What initially appeared to be road work at the corner of Prospect and jay street in DUMBO turned out to be some sort of art project (Street art taken literally?). New asphalt was laid down with a swirling flourish design sunk within. Given that laing down asphalt is a fairly labor-intensive job, and doing it cleanly requires heavy equipment, it is doubtful this was done by a single person. Aside from the DOT branded cones surround it, no artist name or credit otherwise was found. Ideas people?

Here’s another detail view on flickr. If this is in fact art, who is the artist?

The parking lot at Old Fulton and Prospect Streets will close permanently on April 30th, according to signs posted by the NYC Parks & Recreation Department. Anyone know what is replacing the parking lot?

While on the subject, the other outdoor lots in and around Dumbo are:

• 90 Washington Street (corner of Washington and Prospect Streets) – $275 per month
• 66 Sands Street (corner of Sands and Pearl Streets) – $250 per month
• 39 Front Street (at York Street) – $300 per month

Can anyone share their experiences with outdoor lots around Dumbo?

After almost one year, Tom Otterness’ Large Covered Wagon sculpture that was located on the corner of Prospect Street and Washington Street in Dumbo is no longer on display. Cranes lifted the solid bronze sculpture onto a flatbed and taken away this morning. Thanks to Mr. Otterness for loaning us the sculpture. It was a popular photo op spot with visitors and tourists as it is one of the first things seen when coming off the Brooklyn Bridge walkway. It would be nice to see other art/sculptures rotate on that otherwise ho hum corner.

There are no plans to replace the sculpture with another installation at this time. The project was made possible by a grant from Two Trees Management Co. and the Walentas Foundation and sponsored by the Dumbo Improvement District.

Previously: {Otterness Sculpture Comes to Dumbo, 15Apr2008}

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}

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}

Where is Clumber Corner? Dog owners are probably familiar with this place. The answer is after the jump below.

 Clumber Corner, Brooklyn, 4/2007

Clumber Corner
1.46 acres

This grassy, sloping corner, popular with dog-walkers, takes its name from the Clumber Spaniel, also known as the “retired gentleman’s shooting dog” for its slow gait and remarkable talent for finding birds. Spaniels date back to the 1300s when they were first bred by the Spanish. The Clumber was created by combining old spaniel breeds with other dogs, giving it its present physical characteristics. The long, low body comes from the Basset Hound, while the heavy head comes from the Alpine Spaniel. The Duc de Noailles of France was the first to breed the Clumber, although he had to send his spaniels to England when the French Revolution came. They were housed in the kennels of the Duke of Newcastle at Clumber Park in Nottinghamshire, thus earning their current name.

Clumber Corner is located near the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, or BQE, which was constructed under the direction of Parks Commissioner Robert Moses (1888-1981) between 1946 and 1964 at a cost of $137 million. Built to relieve congestion on local streets and to aid industry and business by shortening transportation time between the boroughs, the six-lane, 11.7 mile long BQE received Federal, State, and City funding. After repeated reconstruction projects in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, the BQE will receive a $240-million, 4-year rehabilitationfrom the New York State Department of Transportation, scheduled to be completed in 2004.

Clumber Corner is located in Brooklyn Heights. The urbanization of Brooklyn Heights began in 1814 when the neighborhood received an important boost from Robert Fulton’s steam ferry, which allowed businessmen to commute to and from work in Manhattan on a regularly scheduled basis. Hezekiah Pierpont, a merchant, recognized this as an opportunity and advertised his property in Brooklyn Heights as “the nearest country retreat” for businessmen in lower Manhattan. The area developed as a fashionable suburb of Manhattan, largely between 1830 and 1890, and the result is one of the most architecturally diverse neighborhoods in the city. The area changed in the 1950s with the construction of the BQE, which destroyed many buildings but also provided an esplanade, called The Promenade, which boasts spectacular views of the lower Manhattan skyline.

In 1965, Brooklyn Heights became the first designated Historic District in New York City, in recognition of its varied architectural past. In the time since, Brooklyn Heights has regained its past cashet, in large part for the reasons that made it successful in the first place: the easy commute to Manhattan and the beautiful setting.

City of New York Parks & Recreation
January 2001
www.nyc.gov/parks

 Clumber Corner, Brooklyn, 4/2007

 Clumber Corner, Brooklyn, 4/2007