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Beacon Tower Garden Update

September 6th, 2006

Sept 2006

Remember this Brownstoner entry almost a year ago in October 2005 about this development (followed by the oft discussed pricing and tax abatement protests on Curbed)? The above photo is the foundation for the 85 Adams Street’s feng shui inspired garden (aka Beacon Tower). Plans include a tea house, for a “natural buffer between home and street”. Not sure how those who live at Beacon Tower will “find peace, sanctuary and true urban sophistication” outdoors in the garden and tea house with the building being cornered by the Manhattan Bridge and the BQE. This corner on Adams and York Streets is probably the loudest spot in Dumbo. But in all fairness, I did check out the sales office a few months ago and the sound proofing in the condos was a focus of the developer Shaya Boymelgreen.

Artist Rendering of garden, occupancy early 2007

Ignoring that BQE white noise, you can almost imagine meditating in the zen garden…ommmmmmm.

{Beacon Tower website}

Filed in Adams Street, Real Estate, York Street at 5:29 am

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Dumbo Then and Now: Washington and York Street

August 28th, 2006

New York Public Library has a nice collection of old photographs of New York streets. There are some Brooklyn photos from the Dumbo and Vinegar Hill areas in the 1800′s and early 1900s. The area was known as Fulton Landing where the ferry dropped off passengers from Manhattan. Once the Brooklyn Bridge was built in the 1883, followed by the Manhattan Bridge in the 1909, Fulton Landing became a commercial area and Brooklyn Heights the residential area. To put things into historical perspective, take a look at the before and after.

For the first in the series of “Dumbo Streetscapes Then and Now”, we are looking north on Washington Street with York Street in the foreground. In the old photo, circa 1926, you’ll notice that 70 Washington Street and 81 Washington Street (Thompson Water Meter) buildings are still around, but the dark brick building on the near right corner of York and Washington is gone, to make way for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. Notice the old overpass between the Gair buildings past Front Street, no longer there. Also the electric wires have now moved underground.

1926