New Year’s Eve 2007
Stay close to home and party!
No cover, no minimum, cash bar
Watch LIVE from Times Square on our 8 foot Jumbo-Tron screens

PLUS: Noise Makers! Hats! Champagne Toast at Midnight! 2AM Complimentary Light Buffet!

D.J. Skew ALL NIGHT

Water Street Restaurant and the Underwater Lounge

66 Water Street, Dumbo, Brooklyn (Just over the Brooklyn Bridge)

An Invitation for the Children of DUMBO: Experience Jane’s Carousel
What: The Children of DUMBO are invited to a little Holiday Event to ride on Jane’s Carousel.
When: Friday, December 8, anytime from 3:00pm – 7:00pm
Where: 56 Water Street, DUMBO

{A Chat With Jane At The Carousel Opening, DumboNYC.com}

The Fulton Ferry condos, located almost directly under the Brooklyn Bridge, at the corner of Water Street and Old Fulton Street in Dumbo, looks to be close to being completed. Some would consider the location to be on the border of Brooklyn Heights and Dumbo, but there’s no argument about the fantastic views overlooking Manhattan. Not to be confused with Fulton’s Landing of Jersey City, NJ, the building is literally 50 steps to the Fulton Ferry Landing and the riverfront directly across from The River Cafe and the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory.

There are only 13 units in the building, and the style looks consistent with the neighborhood’s character (despite the building’s trapezoidal shape). The ground floor has 2282 square feet of commercial space and a parking space for each of the units. Maintenance/cc and taxes aren’t listed, but the average price per square feet is $746.26 and average price is $1,167,162. Not bad at all for the space and location, but looks like all units are under contract except for unit 3A, listed by Brooklyn Bridge Realty. Are there any buyers out there who knows the move-in date or what the commercial space will bring to the area?

Click on photos for larger version:

Fulton Ferry Condo (fultonlanding.com)
4 Water Street, Brooklyn, NY

 Jane Walentas with her Carousel, October 13, 2006

  Photo courtesy Jane Walentas

An article in The New York Sun today describes the carousel’s opening at 65 Water Street on Friday:

“Friday at noon, at 65 Water St., a 1922 carousel painstakingly restored by Jane Walentas — the wife of David Walentas, who through his firm Two Trees Management owns 13 buildings in of the neighborhood — will open to the public (for viewing only, no rides). The carousel is a beautiful ornament on an already delectable stretch of Water St., which includes Jacques Torres Chocolate and the French bakery Almondine, not to mention the River Cafe at the end of the street.(Ms. Walentas referred to this as the “street of dreams.”)”

  Photo courtesy Jane Walentas

I had the priviledge of chatting with Jane Walentas at the opening. Ms. Walentas purchased the carousel in 1984, and after 22 years of her labor, the historic carved wood carousel has been restored to its original condition. The decorative carvings and vibrant paint, leafed in 24k gold and palladium are beautifully embellished with faceted jewels and 1200 lights. The temporary space where the carousel is housed is unfortunately too small to allow the public to safely ride the carousel, but Ms. Walentas is looking forward to the day when a Carousel Pavillion will be in the Brooklyn Bridge Park will have a permanent home. We’re looking forward to it too.

  The lighted Carousel at night

We also asked Ms. Walentas about the Empire Stores. Her dream is to provide a place where artists can display their artwork in lofts and galleries. We hope it becomes a place of art but when that will happen is still TBD. Thanks to Ms. Walentas for her “dreams” and for her beautiful restoration work.

Jane’s Carousel
56 Water St. Dumbo, Brooklyn, NY
The First Carousel on The National Register will be open Fridays through Sundays from noon to 5 p.m.

{David Walentas, Neighborhood Creator and Patron of the Arts, New York Magazine, October 13, 2006}
{The Paradox Of DUMBO, Art Around Town, The New York SUn, October 13, 2006}

Via Gothamist, could it be that the Dumbo architect Robert Scarano replied to Brownstoner’s post about my Water Street development update?

“Don’t degrad your families life style like that. Peoplr are still free to make choices in this country. Go back to the sticks where people still use the word Hobo. Here in New York its Bums.”

I’m not convinced he wrote that, but it would be cool that he’s reading some Brooklyn blogs out there. Here’s another view of the development looking up from Water Street:

Considering the building is next to the Manhattan Bridge, it gets a lot of sunlight.

{Gothamist post}
{Brownstoner’s post on Water St development}

[Update: 133 Water Street Received Their TCO, 16May2007]

The development on the corner of Adams and Water Streets is moving quickly. There was some discussion on Brownstoner.com back in June, but since then the facade went up. According to Scarano’s website, first floor will have commercial space and residential apartments above:

The Gair family developed many of the adjacent properties and these buildings lend their aesthetic qualities to the new structure. And while some of the new developments ignore this richly diverse community by placing Manhattan-style buildings next to these neighboring icons, this new building blends old with new, allowing both to be recognized and appreciated for what they are.

Exterior surfaces reveal the varied nature of the interior layouts by using glass window wall systems on the upper level units, most of which have double height ceilings. Turning the mass on a 45 degree angle to the street grid allowed for unique and varied vistas for many units. Triple glazing and acoustically super-insulated exterior walls mask the din of noise emanating from the adjacent Manhattan bridge roadway and transit lines.

With commercial spaces at the 1st floor and parking in the cellar, the residential portion on the floors above responds to the New York City Quality Housing Program, mandated by the local residential district.

Large units of 1000 square feet for a two bedroom apartment represent a trend that the buyers now demand. Modern amenities include deluxe five piece fixtures in the master bathroom, his and her walk in closets and state of the art kitchen appliances with European cabinetry.

{Development Watch: Adding to Chaos in Dumbo, Brownstoner.com}
{Scarano Architects website}

Dumbo is starting to get some press from faraway lands, in this case, from Scotland. The writer discusses his experience with the Big Apple Greeter Program, a free service, founded in 1992 to help address “New York’s daunting reputation for crime and costliness”. Operated by volunteers who love their city so much they are happy to spend their time showing it off, the service aims to allow visitors to “see New York through the eyes of a New Yorker”. The greeters take you to their favorite neighborhoods. One neighborhood he took the writer was to Dumbo:

So I found myself Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass, among converted warehouses and dock storehouses that now house emerging theatre companies and artists’ studios. Elliott led the way through decrepit lanes of the sort a stranger would probably avoid without a guide. As a police helicopter whirred overhead, we munched on sideplate-sized cookies, layered with squidgy chocolate and still hot from the baker’s oven…

Sounds like they visited Dumbo’s Almondine bakery. For those who haven’t tried their chocolate chip cookies, they’re thin and crispy but with a chewy center.

{Big Apple corps, The Scotsman, Aug 12, 2006}

Candy Blog had an entry about Jacques Torres Chocolates, the famous chocolatier who started his first chocolate shop in DUMBO. He specializes in fresh, hand-crafted chocolates free of preservatives and artificial flavors.

{Jacques Torres Website},
Jacques Torres Chocolate is located at 66 Water Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201 in D.U.M.B.O.

[from Moneyone @ Flickr]

[from Viajes @ Flickr]

THIRD TIGER BEER SINGAPORE CHILI CRAB FESTIVAL, an outdoor event with entertainment, games and food, in front of the Water Street Restaurant and Lounge, 66 Water Street, in the Dumbo section of Brooklyn. Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. Free admission.

Tiger Beer is proud to present the 3rd Annual Tiger Beer Singapore Chili Crab Festival! We will once again take over the Brooklyn waterfront and give it the vibrancy and excitement of a massive Singaporean Street fair.

In addition to chili crabs, other authentic Asian delectables will be available. Entertainment will include live band performances, souvenir vendors, children’s street entertainment, massage therapy, traditional lion dancers, pedicab rides and kickboxers from Gleason’s Gym.

{Tiger Beer Website}
{Flickr photos}