If you weren’t able to attend the Pearl Street Triangle planning session last week, the Dumbo Improvement District has set up an online survey through their website to collect your thoughts on the project. I wasn’t able to attend. For anyone who attended, was there consensus on making the Pearl Street Triangle a reality?

Click HERE to complete a short survey of how you’d like to see at the Pearl Street Triangle developed.

 (Images courtesy of Dumbo Improvement District)

Seems like there’s a lot of food news around here lately. Brooklyn Record posted six signs “things are quickly headed for the skids”. Bubby’s owner responded by acknowledging their challenges with having such a large space during the week (and scaling back some services during the week) and had a rough winter. But they’re committed to grow with Dumbo:

Bubby’s opened in Tribeca in 1990. There wasn’t a traffic light down there. We grew as the neighborhood grew. I believe that DUMBO-Bubby’s will grow as DUMBO grows, and as people know that you can have a great time, eat good home cooking, and feel comfortable bringing your kids, your grandma, your congressman, or your new bride.

Now that spring is here, Bubby’s in DUMBO is doing much better; it was a rough winter. We will continue doing our best, and I welcome any dialogue.

{Is Bubby’s Brooklyn a Sinking Ship?, Brooklyn Record}

 (Image courtesy of Gawker.com)

Josh over at Gawker.com reports:

“With the horrabulous J Condo going up and $780/sf real estate prices, it was only a matter of time until the last vestigial traces of an untamed DUMBO disappeared neath the hooves of gentrification and suburbanality. The latest victim seems to be Pedro’s Restaurant, that outpost of chimichangas and margaritas on the corner of Jay and Front streets. Though the restaurant itself is still standing, the extraordinary profusion of skulls in sombreros and Dia de los Muertos figures that had been, for years, drawing Flickr fans has been supplanted by gray boring stucco. A quick call to the restaurant reveals the cause to nothing more than snow damage from the recent storm. But when asked (admittedly in 6th grade Spanish) if they were planning on replacing it, an employee of the restaurant said the murals were never to return. ¡Que triste!”

The Brooklyn Paper reports that the outdoor drinking area removal is temporary, but doesn’t mention the ‘clean up’ of the mural:

“Don’t worry, Pedro’s fans — it turns out that the removal of the beloved outdoor drinking area at Dumbo’s favorite down-and-dirty Mexican joint is only temporary. The owner tells us the shed — where many people (present company included) spend many a summer evening drinking Coronas and eating Cuban sandwiches — will be back soon. (Now if they could just make the sandwich a little crispier!)”

The outdoor seating and mural was a major part of Pedro’s charm. I hope the stucco wall isn’t part of Pedro’s plan to make the place more fancy so they can charge more for their food and Coronas. Their tacos and guacamole aren’t fancy, but they’re tasty. The outdoor seating is a bonus so I hope they keep them around.

{Goodbye, Skull Murals of Dumbo, Gawker.com}

For people who want to keep up with Dumbo news (and of course Brooklyn in general), The Brooklyn Paper is on top of stories and developments around the neighborhood. They’re based in Dumbo on 55 Washington Street, and have frequent and quality editorials on issues pertaining to the area.

Some Dumbo-related Brooklyn Paper headlines from today’s edition for your weekend reading:

• What’s in a name?: “In the grand tradition of naming city streets after people no one has ever heard of, DUMBO’s own Main Street is slated to be co-named for former Department of Transportation assistant commissioner Dolores Barbieri…
  The street co-naming would be the first for DUMBO, a distinction that puts it on the map — in the sense that the neighborhood now has enough residents to attract the attention of politicians who want to honor ex-colleagues.”
• Table stable: “For the past three years, Wonk’s DUMBO location has sold sleek-but-functional furniture to a discerning, black-turtlenecked crowd comprised mainly of architects and designers. The store has even garnered a bit of fanfare by producing custom pieces for renowned photographer Cindy Sherman.”
• How to build a neighborhood: “If you’ve been wondering why BoConcept and West Elm (both high-end furniture stores) ended up side by side on Front Street in DUMBO — it was done on purpose.
  Seems that the good people at Two Trees Management — which controls most of the real estate down here — have decided to turn DUMBO into a sort of furniture district, akin to Gaphattan’s lighting or fashion districts.”

Some Dumbo-related Brooklyn Paper headlines from the March 17th edition:

• Prices up, but not as much: “DUMBO continued to be the hottest condo market in 2006, with apartment prices growing 2 percent to a median of $998,000 each. But last year’s report showed a 27-percent increase.”
• Mr. Bloomberg, tear down this wall!: “an East DUMBO and a West DUMBO, if you will — are slowly developing, complete with their “own set services: cleaners, cafes and even their own subway stations,” according to the DUMBO Improvement District.”
• ‘Dine’ on the divine: Dine in Brooklyn article

The blog, Dtourist – the local tourist blog has posted some photos from the 32nd floor of JCondo. Love it or not, JCondo has some great views from the 32nd floor. In the second photo below, the windows look pretty solid (triple paned soundproofed windows) and from what I am told, the outside noise is not an issue in the apartments.

 Photos courtesy of Dtourist. Click for larger version.

 Photos courtesy of Dtourist. Click for larger version.

 Photos courtesy of Dtourist. Click for larger version.

Also, it looks like there will be a final inspection of JCondo this week. A reader wrote: “I am an owner in J Condo and we were told at ProJect Dumbo last week that there was going to be a major inspection at the site this week.” Any updates from owners?

Finally, the winners of ProJect Dumbo were announced at the reception on 3/15.

• Lobby: Jenny Hankwitz
  Work: Horizontal Splash Pink, (48″ x 90″), oil on canvas
• Play Space: Eleanora Kupencow
  Creatures in Rhumbaland, (42″ x 54″), oil on linen
• Lounge: Annette Rusin
  Work: Installation, (4′ x 7’6″), oil on vellum paper.

Congrats to the local artists!

{Dtourist – the local tourist blog}
Related posts:
{J Condo Owners Can See Their Place}
{Calling All Dumbo Artists}

1)Two Day Monster Art/Music Festival

When: Friday March 23, 7pm – 3am; Saturday March 24, 3pm – 12am
Where: 147 Front Street, 2nd Floor, DUMBO Brooklyn
Info: $20 for a One Day Pass and $25 for a Two Day Pass.
Buy your ticket online to guarantee admission.
www.michaelalanart.com

• 20 hours of theatrical figure drawing with 25 nude and costumed art models holding dynamic gesture, short and long poses (4hour) throughout the whole event. 5-8 models in each pose.
• 5-8 models a pose, 4 hour pose at all times, gestures, and 15′s. There will always be something to draw and you will be able to change seats and drawings
• Collaborative projects and activities by Brooklyn Art Collective and Artworld Digest Magazine.
• Disfiguration Art Show featuring work by Michael Alan, Matt Brennan, Tim Maxwell, Barnaby Ruhe, Jenn DeWald and Will Suarez.
• Live music from 8 unbelievable bands including: the Hungry Marching Band, the Krays, Rocket Surgery, the Bones of Davey Jones, Naked Boys Making Noise, BonBomb, Biz and the Rolling Stallones and DJ Junglez.
• Full bar and food available by Retreat with an after party to follow at Retreat Saturday night 12am – 3am.
• Live silk screening by Ad Hoc Gallery.
• Amazing giveaways from our sponsors: Blick Art Supply, Crumpler Bags, MetroInk and P.S. Bookshop.

2)Coercive Atmospherics at d.u.m.b.o. arts center

What: Opening weekend for Coercive Atmospherics
When: Saturday March 24, 2007, 6 – 9 pm; Exhibition through May 13, 2007
Where: d.u.m.b.o. arts center (dac), 30 Washington Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201

Curator: David Hunt
Artists: Sam Clagnaz, Devon Costello, David Kennedy Cutler, Taylor Davis, Regina Jose Galindo, Gareth Long, MaryKate Maher, Samantha Moyer, Luke Painter, Ted O’Sullivan, Stephen G. Rhodes, Tim Roda, Pawel Wojtasik, and Balint Zsako.
www.dumboartscenter.org

3)Youth Venture New York Media Network Gathering

When: Friday, March 23rd from 5-7pm
Where: 25 Washington St., 4th Floor, DUMBO, Brooklyn
Info: You MUST RSVP (with first and last name) for admission
RSVP to: ny@youthventure.org or call 212 278 8930
Youth Venture New York Media Network Gathering
Youth Venture

“Come enjoy an evening of workshops, a films screening, refreshments, and hang-out time with other fun young media people!”

• Watch a screening of Still Standing, a youth-made YO-TV documentary portraying the challenges faced by Hurricane Katrina survivors. Followed by a discussion with one of the film’s producers, Ines Morales
• Learn how to use media to raise awareness and inspire action around important social issues with Irene Villaseñor, Youth Views Manager at American Documentary | P.O.V.
• Find out how to make money and manage it in order to make your dreams become reality from Wallace Jabbaar and Yamira Siu-Jabbaar of Primerica Financial Services
• Get info about how to take advantage of the grant and support opportunities with Youth Venture

The Youth Venture New York Media Network is an initiative to link young people involved or interested in socially conscious media with each other, media organizations, and experienced individuals in the media field.

From the Dumbo Improvement District:

Re-imagining the Pearl Street Triangle…Can’t we do better than this???

When: Thursday, March 22, 5:30pm
Where: 111 Front Street, suite 258
To RSVP for the meeting please contact:
Tucker Reed, Executive Director, Dumbo Improvement District, 718.237.8700 or tucker@dumbonyc.org

 ”Good Morning Dumbo”, Beacon Tower (foreground) with a hint of 84 Front Street, 81 Washington Street, 70 Washington Street, and 1 Main street, Dumbo Brooklyn (Photo courtesy of Josh Derr)

Dine In Brooklyn started on Monday (3/19) and runs through March 30. Three course meals cost $21.12. “Dine in the hip zip for restaurants during Brooklyn’s restaurant week and discover the “diversity of delicious” that Brooklyn restaurants offer.”

Dumbo restaurants include Bubby’s Brooklyn, Five Front, Pete’s Downtown Restaurant, Toro Restaurant & Spanasia Ballroom, The River Café, Rice, and Water Street Restaurant & Lounge.

As reported in The Brooklyn Record, Bed-Stuy Blog, Super Vegan, NY Post, Living In Victorian Flatbush, and Chowhound.

Operating Costs Per Acre:
Central Park: $32,000
Hudson River Park: $109,000
Brooklyn Bridge Park: $245,000 (as of 11/15/2004)
(Source: Metro)

The current state’s plan for Brooklyn Bridge Park will include luxury high-rises as well as a hotel and retail to pay for the park’s operations. In 2002, Governor George Pataki and Mayor Bloomberg committed $150 million to build the park and the following year the plan went to the Empire State Development Corporation. According to a Metro article, the plan was changed to include a residential building and the playing fields, pool, skateboard half-pipe and outdoor amphitheatre was gone. They were replaced by a kayak area and a marina for 180 yachts. The operating budget jumped to $15.2 million, which included dune buggies, hybrid cars, 40 sit-down lawnmowers, 7 pick-up trucks, 2 garbage trucks and a 31 person security force that included 8 armed guards.

Why not just have a simple park for residents and visitors to relax in and be able to enjoy the view of the water and of Manhattan? The park has the advantage of amazing views, and we don’t need any buildings or fancy marina to support the upkeep. Just build the park land that could be used by many to improve overall quality of life and for the borough of Brooklyn. Why the need to ‘develop’ the land to take up area and cut off parts of the waterfront as a private playground for the rich? Do you see luxury high rises and a security force in the park below Eiffel Tower in Paris or Vancouver’s Stanley Park? Having a luxury high rise or other private development in the space costs the park, and therefore taxpayers, more money for upkeep. Areas of the park can be rented out for concerts and shows, much like the Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park in Dumbo, to raise money for upkeep. There’s already committed funding by the city to build the park, so can’t we just keep it simple?