Image courtesy of Crack Skull Bob

• Manhattan Bridge drawing, 4/15/07, (Above)
• Gotham Gal Shopping at Zoe and Loopy Mango in Dumbo, Gotham Gal, 4/17/07
• Try Again Dept.: Walentas Pushing New Dumbo Tower?, Curbed.com, 4/18/07
• DUMBO Hearing Could Initiate Landmark Process, gothamist.com, 4/19/07
• WE HEAR . . . WE HEAR . . . WE HEAR, NY Post, 4/15/07
  “South Beach Wine & Food Festival founder Lee Schrager are planning to bring a New York version of the weekend-long culinary klatsch to DUMBO next year. TV’s Food Network and Food & Wine magazine are to sponsor the event and Mario Batali has committed to participate .”
• Curbed senior editor Joey Arak interview, New York Observer, 4/23/07 edition
• Brooklyn Artist Wants To Put Restored Carousel In DUMBO Park, NY1, 4/20/07
• ModernTots Spring Fling Sale, 10% off everything through Sunday, 4/22, moderntots.com

With the discussion about the plot of land where the current Nova Clutch building stands and rumors about new development there, I decided to do a quick search on the net to find out more about the building. The Zerega building, now known as Nova Clutch building was built in 1848. From a brooklynbridgepark.org ‘fun-facts’, Antoine Zerega built the first American pasta factory in 1848 on Front Street in Dumbo which remained in operation until the 1950s when Antoine’s grandson moved it to New Jersey. According to the Zerega website, they “trace our roots back to Brooklyn, NY, where Antoine Zerega founded the American pasta industry in 1848. ”

The three story building has since been occupied by Nova Clutch Inc, which imports and manufactures motor vehicle clutches and mechanical power transmission equipment. The name “ZEREGA” is still etched in the stone below the second floor windows.

 Photo by DumboNYC (Click for larger version)

Nova Clutch Inc
39 Front St # 2
Brooklyn, NY 11201
(718) 858-8282

See also:
{Dumbo Then and Now: N Side of Front St at Dock St, 21Jul2009}
{(Temporary) Parking Lot on the Nova Clutch Site, 08Aug2007}
{Goodbye Nova Clutch Building, 20Jun2007}
{Zerega Building, 28May2007}
{Two Trees Seeking Approval for 15-20 Story Building Abutting Brooklyn Bridge, 18Apr2007}

What: DUMBOLIO, A monthly variety show created, curated, and hosted by Ed Schmidt
When: Saturday, April 21, 2007, starting at 8:00 p.m.
Where: powerHouse Arena, 37 Main Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201

Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at www.powerhousearena.com or www.dumbolio.com or by calling 718-666-3049 ext. 5

Food and drinks courtesy of RICE

Video clips of the first two shows can be seen below:

Ed Schmidt’s Dumbolio is a monthly variety show featuring a headline musical act and four supporting acts created, curated, and hosted by Ed Schmidt—the mad genius behind The Last Supper, his one-man show that ran for nearly two years in his Brooklyn kitchen and dining room. The third edition of Dumbolio will launch on Saturday, April 21, 2007, at the powerHouse Arena.

April’s musical headliner will be Howard Fishman. After recent sold-out performances at the Lincoln Center American Songbook Series and at Joe’s Pub, Mr. Fishman brings his unique blend of jazz, country, folk, and blues to the Arena. He and his quartet will play new songs, inspired by Mr. Fishman’s recent trip to Romania.

If anyone was able to attend today’s Landmark Preservation Commission meeting, please email us or add a comment here. (Don’t know why the LPC has to hold a public meeting while most people are working.) We all need to get the facts before speculating on what will happen:

• What does a historic district really mean?
• How does it impact residents?
• How does it impact buildings that are not landmark worthy?
• How does it impact the developers’ ability to demolish and renovate buildings?

Did the meeting address any of these questions? Was there a big turnout? Many of us would like to get all the facts.

Previously: {Dumbo Landmarking Meeting on Thursday at 10am}

Congratulations to Rebar, named best new bar of the year by Time Out New York.

Here is what Time Out said:

Like banks offering free toasters, bars nowadays tend to resort to free-pizza and Skee-Ball gimmicks to attract fickle tipplers. But such ploys are superfluous with a drinkery as meticulously conceived as this Dumbo hideaway, carved out from an ex-factory’s mezzanine. Past the handwrought gate and stained-glass windows, the tulip chandeliers’ orange glow illuminates 15 taps dispensing potent American microbrews (Bear Republic’s Red Rocket, Sixpoint’s Bengali Tiger) and rich Belgian beers (Delirium Tremens, Kwak). The quality quaffs extend to by-the-glass organic wines, which paint-flecked artists swig along with asparagus-and-smoked-salmon bocadillos and fried almonds by the fistful. Live jazz and DJs provide the soundtrack after dark, when fuzzy-headed schemes lead to thoughts of purchasing a newly sprouted Dumbo apartment, making ReBar your permanent local.

147 Front St between Jay and Pearl Sts, Dumbo, Brooklyn (718-797-2322)

Along with the award, Rebar has relaunched their new website at rebarnyc.com

{rebarnyc.com}
{2007 Eat Out Awards Readers’ choices, Time Out New York}

 (Click for larger version)

Although an email tip received yesterday did not cite any specific sources, they mentioned that it came from ‘a credible source’. Thus, it is rumored that:

“David Walentas of Two Trees is renewing his efforts to get city approval for a 15-20 story building next to the Brooklyn Bridge on the current site of St. Ann’s Warehouse and Nova Clutch. The proposed plan calls for a rental building of 400 Studio and 1BD units with 450 parking spaces and 14,000sf of retail space.

His prior attempt to build a tall building on this site in 2004 failed due to opposition from community residents.

This proposed prominent building would obscure the panoramic Brooklyn Bridge views from 70 Washington, 30 Main, and 1 Main, for which residents paid millions in premium prices to Walentas.”

Neighborhood residents concerned about this and other neighborhood development can attend a public informational meeting with the New York Landmarks Preservation Commission tomorrow regarding the proposed landmarking of DUMBO. From the NY Times article on the 38 Water Street site, Councilman David Yassky agreed that instead of a 15 story building, an “eight-story building that would not rise above the Brooklyn Bridge would be a terrific use of that site”. Would you agree?

See also:
{Dumbo Then and Now: N Side of Front St at Dock St, 21Jul2009}
{(Temporary) Parking Lot on the Nova Clutch Site, 08Aug2007}
{Goodbye Nova Clutch Building, 20Jun2007}
{Zerega Building, 28May2007}
{Nova Clutch building at 39 Front Street, 20Apr2007}

1) ARDEN: The Lamentable Tragedie of a DUMBO Real Estate Mogul

When: Opens Thursday, April 19 and runs Thursday to Saturday evenings at 8 p.m. until May 12, 2007
Where: Spring’s DUMBO Performance Loft, 25 Jay Street, #203 in DUMBO, Brooklyn

Admission is FREE – Reservations are strongly encouraged.

Email name, performance date & number of seats to arden@springtheatreworks.com for reservations.

Performance running time is approx. 75 minutes with no intermission.

An article about ARDEN in The Brooklyn Paper says:

“Originally written in 1592 — some say by William Shakespeare — “Arden” is the story of an extremely wealthy English landowner who was murdered in 1551 by hit men hired by his wife and her lover. In 1793, another version of the Thomas Arden story was written by playwright George Lillo and titled “Arden of Feversham.”
Naomi Village: In the heart of the Poconos

Horne and director Michelle Salerno collaborated on a new adaptation, cobbling together pieces of the old plays and giving the whole thing a modern flair. In their version, Thomas Arden is the owner of Arden Properties, a big DUMBO real-estate firm.”

More information at www.springtheatreworks.com.

2) THE MALE GAZE Opens April 20 at The powerHouse Arena

When: Opens Friday, April 20 and runs through May 27, 2007; M–F: 10am–7pm; Weekends: 11am–7pm
Where: The powerHouse Arena, 37 Main Street at Water Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201

Sullen burger boys meet the effete cognoscenti in The Male Gaze: a group show including over 20 artists whose cultural explosions have rocked foundations across the world. With work spanning 100 years of bloodless revolution, The Male Gaze features contemporary artists and their classic antecedents reinventing themselves, their world, and their media in savvy, bawdy, dreamy, and terrifyingly new ways.

www.powerhousearena.com/male_gaze/themalegaze_home.html

3) Group Exhibition: “Haiti Through Its Art”, a reflection of the Haitian Culture

 (Click for larger version)

When: Opening reception Thursday, April 19, 2007 @ 5:00-8:30 PM; Runs through May 27, 2007
Where: Flavors of Haiti Gallery, 111 Front Street, Gallery 228, Dumbo Brooklyn, NY 11201

A Group exhibition with selected works by the contemporary master painters and ceramists of Haiti.
www.flavorsofhaiti.com

4) This week at Rebar/Retreat

 View of Dumbo from Brooklyn Heights, 4/5/2007 (Click for larger image.)

The New York Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) will hold a public informational meeting regarding designating Dumbo a landmark-protected neighborhood. This meeting is being held by the LPC because they have been getting pressure from both local developers who oppose landmarking Dumbo and neighborhood residents who are in favor of landmarking Dumbo. According to the Dumbo Neighborhood Association (DNA), certain developers have been privately meeting with LPC Chairman, Robert Tierney, and have voiced strong opposition to designation. Landmarking is assumed to increase land values and preserve historic buildings. On the other hand, modifying any existing structure will require developers to go through the LPC for approval.

The LPC would like to see strong support from residents and business owners in Dumbo or it won’t be calendared (which is the beginning of the designation process). It is very important that people attend to listen to the facts and support or oppose the designation. Many in Dumbo complain about the destruction of historic structures and ensure that new development stay true to the character of this waterfront industrial neighborhood. This is your chance to make your voice heard.

Thursday, April 19
10 a.m.
1 Centre Street, 9th Floor North
Manhattan, NYC

Also on:
{Dumbo Landmarking Meeting Coming Up, Gowanus Lounge}

There seem to be many small business owners who live and work in Dumbo, but TuneCore’s technology has earned its music clients millions of dollars; not quite small business. Co-founders Gary Burke and Peter Wells live and work in Dumbo Brooklyn. They’re close to convincing President, CEO, and co-founder Jeff Price to move to Dumbo as well. I caught up with co- founder Peter Wells, Sr. VP Operations about what TuneCore does to help fellow music artists earn millions and how TuneCore and Dumbo are alike:

For people who aren’t familiar with the business model, how does TuneCore work?

Three of us founded TuneCore in 2005 so everyone could get music distribution under a new model where they keep their rights and earnings. iTunes is the 4th largest seller of music in the U.S., and there’s room at iTunes, eMusic, Rhapsody, all the download stores, for an infinite number of albums, why should only the big record labels have access, and why should gatekeepers force you to give up your rights or a huge percentage of your earnings just so you can get in? TuneCore gets your original music (even covers!) on iTunes and many other online digital stores for what comes to about $20 an album, average. You keep your rights, you control your own masters in a non exclusive agreement that you can cancel at any time and best of all, whatever your music earns you keep: we pass it all along to you, without taking a cut.

TuneCore is based in Dumbo Brooklyn. What bought the business here?

DUMBO was the perfect place to set up shop. TuneCore founder and CEO Jeff Price was already here, running his indie label spinART Records out of a seventh-floor office at 20 Jay St. spinART’s been around almost 18 years, the last few in Dumbo, which has always been a place artists of all kinds can be without going broke over rents, but close enough to vibrant Brooklyn and Manhattan scenes. Now that DUMBO is its own scene, it made sense to bring TuneCore’s headquarters here. In January, Gary Burke (our chief of technology) and I moved from Massachusetts to an awesome loft on Washington St. We’d fallen in love with DUMBO when we came to scout out office space, and decided it’d be the perfect place to live as well as work. We’ve been here about two months and already love it. So now TuneCore and spinART Records share space on Jay St. and we have a 3-block commute by foot.

Sounds like TuneCore and Dumbo are very intertwined. How are TuneCore and Dumbo alike?

Both have a hidden but very real history, both are about the artists first, but are moving hard and fast into the new century. Both are up-and-coming, and while DUMBO does all it can to grow and still hold on to its artistic, free-spirited roots, TuneCore is becoming a major player in the music world, but still remembers it’s all about the music, and keeping the door open for anyone who wants their music to get heard. If you can get your album up on iTunes and sell it, keep the money and pour that back into your band, you’ll be able to keep playing longer, make more music, keep the dream alive. We’re also providing all the tools you need, from making CDs to posters, stickers, buttons, t-shirts, so you can turn profits into promotions. That seems to be DUMBO’s move, too: from the plans for the Pearl St. Triangle to the park, the success of the neighborhood is pouring back into the area to improve it.

How can music artists grow with Dumbo as the neighborhood changes?

That’s the energy that made us decide to stay in DUMBO, and even live here. In just a couple of months, I’ve seen this neighborhood change radically. I can’t imagine what will happen when J-Condo and 85 open up. I can’t imagine those empty retail spaces are going to stay vacant long. As the price of living here grows, if there are companies that help artists reach their audiences inexpensively, using all the new technology that’s out there, DUMBO won’t have to give up its soul while it finds success.

—

For additional information, contact Peter Wells, Sr. VP Operations, Customer Advocate at peter@tunecore.com or go to www.tunecore.com for further information.

If you would like to be considered for an interview, please contact us at dumbonyc@gmail.com.

Below are a few select Dumbo Brooklyn stories from the past week from around the internet. Plus a few photos of the 3rd Annual Spring Fling Egg Hunt at Brooklyn Bridge Park and Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park.

• Dumbo’s 133 Water Goes Rental, Brownstoner.com
• Big Turnout for Brooklyn Bridge Park Egg Hunt, Brooklyn Record
• Dumbo as Artistic Inspiration, Curbed.com
• The joke’s on Walentas, Brooklynpaper.com
• Builder’s bridge to the arts, Brooklynpaper.com
• Newly Published Map Shows Dramatic Growth in DUMBO, Brooklyn Daily Eagle
• New DUMBO Building Will “Recognize” History of Site, Brooklyn Daily Eagle
• Ready for takeoff; Joseph Arthur is ready to launch his new museum and an album with The Lonely Astronauts, newsday.com

 Click for larger image.

 Click for larger image.

 Click for larger image.