You can call David Walentas many things, but he sure knows how to get attention. In a New York Magazine profile published this week the developer and King of all DUMBO has a thing or two to say about Brooklyn Heights’ “old guard”:

NY Magazine: His prime adversary was the Brooklyn Heights Association. There was a battle in 1999 over a Walentas proposal to build a Jean ­Nouvel–designed entertainment complex at the bottom of Old Fulton Street that featured theaters, restaurants, and a hotel that swooped out over the East River. In 2004, Heights residents lobbied fiercely against a Walentas bid to construct a 17-story hotel at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge. In recent years, both sides tussled over where to locate a 1922 carousel that David and Jane had spent years painstakingly restoring. “When I asked him, ‘Can we talk about where it might be sited?,’ he would say, ‘I’m going to put it where I want,’ ” recalls Marianna Koval. “ ‘My wife wants to see it from my living-room window, and I don’t care what you guys think.’ ”

“They’re just stupid, insulated people,” David says when I ask him about the carousel controversy. “The truth is that the Old Guard up the Heights are racists and anti-Semites, if you really want to know. They don’t want anything to happen to disturb their little community. They don’t want shvartzes walking through the community to get to the park.” Today, he says, “the Heights people love the carousel.”

So is he right? Comment away!

NY Magazine Photo

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/68198

Brooklyn Bridge Park may be getting even more popular this summer — there’s a robust schedule of free events.

Here’s a handy list of all of them via the BBP Conservancy:

A FULL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS – ALL FREE – FOLLOWS
BROOKLYN BRIDGE PARK 2014 SEASON SCHEDULE OF EVENTS ARTS & CULTURE

Celebrate Brooklyn! Dance Parties presented by BRIC
Sponsored by Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy
Thursdays, 7:00 pm, Pier 1
Sweeping views, great lawn, dance lessons, beer gardens, bike valet… and it’s free! Three spring evenings feature some of the coolest dance bands on the planet, the funkiest DJs under the stars, and the greatest view in the world on Pier 1!
May 15 Electro-Jamz Dance Party: Cibo Matto I Javelin | JD Samson
May 22 – African Dance Party: Sierra Leone Refugee All-Stars I DJ Chief Boima

Syfy Movies With A View
Thursdays, with music at 6:00 pm and movies at sunset, Pier 1
Join us as we celebrate 15 Season of our movie series on Thursdays this summer! Shorts curated by BAMcinematek, DJs from Brooklyn Radio kick off the evening, and bike valet is provided by Transportation Alternatives.

July 10 – Duck Soup (G)
July 17 – Sharknado
July 24 – Fantastic Mr. Fox (PG)
July 31 – Beetlejuice (PG)
August 7 – Cat On A Hot Tin Roof (PG)
August 14 – Ghost Dog: The Way Of The Samurai (R)
August 21 – The Birds (PG)
August 28 – Public Vote!

Books Beneath the Bridge
Mondays, July 8 – August 12, 7:00 pm, Granite Prospect
Second annual outdoor literature series curated by six local, independent bookstores.
July 7 – Freebird
July 14 – Greenlight Bookstore
July 21 – Powerhouse Arena
July 28 – Community Bookstore Park Slope
August 4 – Word Bookstore
August 11 – Bookcourt

Danh Vo: We The People
Opening Saturday, May 17
Pier 3 Uplands
Presented by The Public Art Fund
A major new dual-site exhibition inspired by the Statue of Liberty, “We the People” is a full-scale copper replica of the statue in 250 individual parts fabricated over the course of four years using the original techniques and materials. Visitors to the Pier 3 Greenway Terrace will encounter a never-before-exhibited section of the statue: the draped sleeve of the statue’s right arm, which holds the golden torch. This colossal, 13-piece section will be assembled into three forms and presented alongside the ear of the statue. The exhibition continues at Manhattan’s City Hall Park.

John Street Pasture
Coming Spring 2014
John Street Pasture is a temporary living earthwork that celebrates green space, agriculture, and the transitional nature of urban land. This cover crop of crimson clover will bloom into a lush field of reds and greens all while creating a nutrient rich resource of nitrogenized soil for the now under-construction John Street section of Brooklyn Bridge Park. John Street Pasture is a collaboration of Andrea Reynosa, Alloy and Brooklyn Grange.

Pier Kids
Sundays, June 1 – August 3, 11:00 am
Pier 6
Sing, act, dance, and draw! Please join us on Pier 6 for a weekly family celebration of the arts. Engaging activities will vary each week and be accompanied by an outdoor pop-up reading room from the Uni Project. Each program is followed by art projects from Private Picassos and Project Art.

Walt Whitman’s Song Of Myself
Sunday, June 8, 4:00 pm
Granite Prospect
Annual marathon reading of Walt Whitman’s most critically acclaimed poem.

Shakespeare At Sunset
June 13-15 (King Lear) and July 18-20 (Taming of the Shrew), 7:00 pm
Granite Prospect
Free performances of King Lear by Theater 2020 and Taming of the Shrew by Random Access Theater.

BAMcinemafest Outdoor Screening
Thursday, June 19, Pier 1
Join BAMcinemaFest for an outdoor festival featuring live music, curated food and a special film screening! The films start at sunset.

Barolosolo Cirkus Company
June 21-22, 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm
Pier 1
A kiosk in a village square. What could be more ordinary? Join France’s Barolosolo Cirkus Company for an anything but ordinary New York premier of íle O, and watch as this intrepid team creates a delightful mash-up of modern physical theater around their kiosk-pool moving from comic to absurd in a universe filled with aquatic poetry and music. Presented in association with SummerStage. Kids presented by Disney.

Make Music NY
Saturday, June 21, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Pier 3 Greenway Terrace
The 8th Annual Make Music New York festival returns June 21 with more than 1,000 free concerts in public spaces across NYC. More details at makemusicny.org.

Met Opera
Wednesday, June 25, 7:00 pm
Pier 1
This summer recital features three rising Met stars: soprano Amber Wagner, mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton, and tenor Russell Thomas, joined by pianist Dan Saunders.

Hindu Lamp Ceremony
Saturday, August 2, 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Main Street
Help Aeilushi Mistry bring peace and harmony to our shoreline as she performs the traditional Hindu Aarti ceremony at the park! Presented with Brooklyn Arts Council.

Jazzmobile: Arturo O’Farrill
Monday, August 18, 7:00 pm
Pier 1
Join us for a performance by Latin Jazz artist, Arturo O’Farrill who brings swinging rhythms to the park!

Battle Of Brooklyn Reenactment
Saturday, August 23, 12:00 pm
Main Street
Join reenactors from Glover’s Marblehead Regiment to learn how sailors saved George Washington’s army during the Battle of Brooklyn in 1776.

Kite Festival
Saturday, September 13, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
Pier 1
Watch your kite soar above the Manhattan skyline! Kites will be available for purchase or you can bring your own.

Photoville
September 18 – 21 & 25 – 28
Pier 5 Uplands
PHOTOVILLE will be a feisty mix of exhibitions, lectures, hands-on workshops, nighttime projections, photo dog run, and a summer beer-garden that will create a photographic destination like no other at the Pier 5 Uplands. In addition —and in collaboration with Photo District News—THE FENCE, Brooklyn’s premiere outdoor photographic exhibition will present the work of 40 talented photographers from around world. THE FENCE at the park measures 1000 ft in length and stretches along the Greenway. Presented by United Photo Industries.

Dumbo Arts Festival
September 21 – 28
Various locations
Brooklyn Bridge Park is participating in DUMBO Arts Festival again this fall! This three-day celebration of art and culture will feature a variety of scenic locations within the park hosting several of this year’s innovative art installations.

RECREATION

Get Active on the Brand New Pier 2 Courts!
5 acres dedicated to active recreation, Enjoy basketball, bocce, shuffleboard and handball courts, a roller/inline skating rink, swings, fitness equipment, picnic tables and half an acre of play turf. Restrooms, skate and equipment rentals, lockers, water fountains and bike racks are also available on site. Take part in fitness classes, leagues, and free play.

Free Skate
Mondays & Fridays, 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Sundays, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Pier 2 (Opening late May. Dates TBD)
Cruise around the new Pier 2 roller/inline skating rink with Free Skate (kid approved) sessions during select hours each week.

Kayaking
June 7 – August 30
Saturdays, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Thursdays, 5:30 pm – 6:45 pm
Pier 2 Dock
Glide along the water while kayaking with the Brooklyn Bridge Park Boathouse at the Pier 2 floating dock! Children under 18 must have an adult guardian present.

Family Field Days
July 26 and August 23, 10:00 am – 1:00pm
Various locations
Come play games of all shapes and sizes from volleyball, basketball, and soccer clinics to potato sack and relay races with celebrations on each of the park’s active piers.

Pop-Up Pool
Daily, Late June through Labor Day
10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Pier 2 Uplands
Take in the sunshine and cool waters at the Pier 2 Pop-Up Pool! The 30’x50’ pool includes a sandy beach and play area with refreshing food and drinks from Lizzmonade. Swim lessons are available.

Pier 5 Fields
Check website for dates
Three turf fields invite soccer, flag football, field hockey, lacrosse, rugby, and ultimate frisbee players alike to play games looking out at the skyline. Check the website for open play time.
Conservancy Soccer Leagues: Get in the game. Coed and men’s adult soccer leagues play Wednesdays in spring, summer, and fall. Saturday morning youth leagues in spring and fall. Sign up for leagues at brooklynbridgepark.org.

Pier 6 Volleyball
Check website for dates
Walk-up Play: Bring your own volleyball.
League Play: Join a team for organized play on Wednesday and Thursday evenings and join in weekend tournaments.
Reserved Play: A limited number of courts can be reserved for an hour by individuals online at brooklynbridgepark.org.
Public Clinics: Brush up your game with free instruction for children, teens, and adults.

Bike NY Pedal Stops
Select Sundays, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Pier 1
Stop by the free rider assistance and information station where you can get a drink of water and healthy snack, then pick up safety instructions, bike maps, and route suggestions.

FITNESS

All Classes Are One Hour.
Senior Fitness with Dodge YMCA
Mondays, May 5 – June 30, 10:00 am
Pier 6

Outdoor Strength wth Brooklyn Strength
Mondays, June 9 – August 25, 7:00 pm
Pier 6

Sunset Pilates with Body In Balance
Wednesdays, June 18 – September 24, 7:00 pm
Pier 5

Pilates with The Fitness Guru
Tuesdays, June 24 – September 9, 7:00 pm
Empire Fulton Ferry

Early Morning Yoga With Dodge YMCA
Mondays, June 30 – August 18, 7:30 am
Pier 6

Zumba with Dodge YMCA
Sundays, July 6 – August 17, 4:00 pm
Pier 2

Hip Hop Aerobics with Dodge YMCA
Fridays, July 11 – August 22, 7:00 pm
Pier 2

Crossfit with Dumbo Crossfit
Sundays, July 13 – August 3, 2:30 pm
Pier 2

EDUCATION & ENVIRONMENT

Wednesday Night Tours
Wednesdays, May 7 – Oct 8, 6:30pm
Pier 1 Entrance
Take an evening’s stroll with New York’s finest scholars and learn about the extraordinary history, ecology, and design of Brooklyn Bridge Park!

The Brooklyn Bridge
May 7
Discover the epic story of this engineering marvel and New York icon as well as the men and women who built it.
David Frieder, The Roebling Museum

The Billion Oyster Project
May 14
Take a look at the park’s oyster gardens and discover the power of these ecosystem engineers.
Sam Janis, New York Harbor School

Natives & Newcomers
May 21
Explore the complex relationships between the Dutch and local Lenape clans as cultures collide.
Emma Nordin, New-York Historical Society

Bringing the Park to Life
May 28
Hear the story of Brooklyn Bridge Park’s creation and innovative approach to revitalizing urban space.
Regina Myer, BBP President

War on the Waterfront
June 4
From Ft. Hamilton to the Navy Yard, Brooklyn’s waterfront played a key role for America in WWII.
Andrew Gustafson, Turnstile Tours

Interactive Photography Tour
June 11
Explore the fundamentals of basic photography while capturing the beauty of the park. Topics covered: composition, lighting, and depth of field.
Alexa Hoyer, BBP Photographer

A Park with a View
June 18
Look across the water in an architectural tour of the historic and modern skyscrapers on the Manhattan skyline.
Kyle Johnson, AIA Architect

Native Plants In Designed Landscapes
June 25
Come on a tour of the park highlighting the use of native species and cultivars in a designed space.
Ulrich Lorimer, Brooklyn Botanical Garden

Abolition On The Water
July 2
Superstar minister Henry Ward Beecher gave voice to freedom and home to the Underground Railroad in 1850s Brooklyn.
Regina McIlvain, Plymouth Church Historian

Building A Sustainable Park
July 9
Gain an in-depth knowledge of BBP’s sustainable features from building materials to storm management.
Leigh Trucks, BBP Director of Capital Projects

The Atlantic Dock Co.
July 16
Learn about the men who built and ruled the docks spanning the waterfront from DUMBO to Red Hook.
Inna Guzenfeld, Historian

Coastal Wetlands
July 23
Where the land meets the sea, the marshlands along the park offer a unique habitat for a variety of wildlife.
Emily Maxwell, The Nature Conservancy

Infrastructure Intersections
July 30
Unravel the tangled histories and structures of all the bridges, tunnels, and highways that keep NY moving.
John Kriskiewicz, Historian

Whales In The Harbor
August 6
Discover a new era when whales, dolphins, and seals have returned to NY Harbor in surprising numbers.
Paul Sieswerda, Gotham Whales

The Golden Age Of Brooklyn Distilleries
August 13
Amble through the historic rise of Brooklyn distilleries of the 1800′s until the death knell of the Volstead Act in 1920.
Jill Paradiso, Culinary Historian

Designing Brooklyn Bridge Park
August 20
Hear directly from one of the innovative minds behind Brooklyn Bridge Park’s award winning design.
Matt Urbanski, Principal, MVVA, Inc.

A Key to the Continent
August 27
The waters of the East River acted as a strategic hub in the American Revolution and the Civil War.
Barnet Schecter, Historian

Blooms and Bugs
September 3
Learn about Pier 1’s native plant gardens including the freshwater pools, woodlands, prairie, and salt marsh.
Matthew Wills, Naturalist

What Was Where
September 10
A journey from colonial times to present day, particularly focused on the industrial dockyards.
Matt Postal, Architectural Historian

My Hand in Yours, Walt
September 17
A literary walk through the legacy of the Brooklyn Bridge in works by Whitman, Crane, Bishop, and Moore.
Adam Fitzgerald, Poet

Interactive Photography Tour: Fall
September 24
Explore the fundamentals of street photography while capturing everyday moments of life in the park.
Alexa Hoyer, BBP Photographer

The Billion Oyster Project: Fall
October 1
See how the park’s oyster gardens have grown and learn the power of these tiny ecosystem engineers.
Sam Janis, New York Harbor School

Docent Tours
Sundays, 12:00 pm
Pier 1
Engage with our docents on a tour about the history of the Brooklyn waterfront, BBP’s sustainable design, and how the park came to life!

Seining
Multiple Dates
Empire Fulton Ferry
Learn about the remarkable creatures of the East River as our scientists use a seining net to humanely catch and release these unique critters.

Wildflower Walk
Tuesday, May 13, 5:00 pm
Pier 1
Explore the parks spring blooms and the many buzzing pollinators that bring the park to life.
Rebecca McMackin, BBP Director of Horticulture

World Science Festival: From The Earth To The Stars
Saturday, May 31, 8:00 pm
Pier 1
It’s an outdoor party beneath the Brooklyn Bridge and the twinkling canvas of the night sky, and a night to explore and discover the vast wonders of the cosmos! Bring your telescope if you have one, or use one of the dozens we’ll have on hand.

Checkmate 101
Wednesdays, June 11 – August 30
6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Pier 1
Come learn how to take your chess game to the next level! Best for beginners; limited boards available.

Journey To The Stars
Thursday Evenings, June 19 – Sept 18
Pier 1
The Amateur Astronomers will guide your eyes across the sky as you discover the wonders of the universe.

City Of Water Day
Thursday, July 12
Location and times to be determined
Join us for a celebration of the waterfront, with our free kayaking and seining programs!

VOLUNTEER EVENTS

Green Team
Saturdays, 10:00 am
Pier 1
Join this dedicated corps of volunteers who keep Brooklyn Bridge Park beautiful! The Green Team meets every Saturday to provide essential horticultural care to the park. The Green Team is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy nature and make the park look its best. Children are welcome to volunteer with a parent or guardian.

Coastal Clean Up Day
Saturday, September 20, 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Pier 1
Team up with thousands of volunteers worldwide to combat pollution in our waterways and along our coastlines. Volunteers will care for our unique coastal environment by cleaning up the park’s beaches, shorelines, and salt marsh. It promises to be a remarkable stewardship experience.

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/67225

In my walks across the Brooklyn Bridge and back over the past year or so, I’ve noticed that couples have been writing their names on padlocks and attaching those locks to the fences beside the pedestrian walkway, as shown in the photo above.

Sometimes, a lock displays a  plea instead of an acknowledgement of existing commitment.

Some messages are too long to put on a padlock, so they get written on the bridge itself.

Source: Self-Absorbed Boomer
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/tzVM/~3/P16pJzXDUqM/locks-of-love-on-brooklyn-bridge.html

Max just enjoyed the ride and the YouTube clip shot by his wife/co-host Stacy Herbert of the Keiser Report host’s spin has already racked up over 1500 views.

Considering his outspokenness, we’re sure a clip of his thoughts regarding the entire financing of Brooklyn Bridge Park would garner thousands more.

It was announced last week that Midtown Equities had been chosen as the developer for the adaptive re-use of the historic Empire Stores warehouse buildings, which extend along Water Street between Dock and Main streets in DUMBO. There was, however, no immediate announcement of which of the anonymous “team” entries revealed in June was the winning design. We now know that it was “Team 5″ that was chosen, a design by Studio V Architecture for Midtown Equities, which includes a glass arcade at the roof level.
Here’s another view, showing almost the whole building from above. Renderings are by Studio V Architecture, via DUMBO NYC. You can see more renderings at Brownstoner.

Empire Stores already has one announced major tenant, furniture mart West Elm, which will move its store and corporate headquarters there.

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/62279

My Brooklyn Heights Blog colleague made this video. He gave it the title “A Tale of Two Bridges” because it includes scenes of and on both the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges, but it concentrates on the latter, lesser known span. Lesser known, that is, until recently, according to this New York Times article. The Times piece attributes its new found popularity on the fact that its Brooklyn anchorage is next to DUMBO (“Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass”), a neighborhood that has undergone roughly the same evolution that SOHO in Manhattan did starting about two decades earlier: from decaying industrial area to place where artists could occupy cheap if not yet quite legal loft spaces to trendy Bohemian neighborhood to pricey place for the rich but hip, combined with office space for tech companies.

I have a particular affection for the Manhattan Bridge: it was my first crossing of any of the East River bridges. This happened in 1954, when I was eight years old.  My parents and I had just returned from England, where my dad, a U.S. Air Force officer, had been stationed for three years. We came by ship, and debarked at the Brooklyn Army Terminal. There we boarded a bus to Penn Station that took us by way of Flatbush Avenue (when we turned onto this broad thoroughfare my dad, an Indiana native who had spent some time in New York City early in World War Two, said “This is Flatbush”: noticing some low-lying shrubbery in a planter box on the median, I thought I knew what he meant) to the Manhattan Bridge, where I was thrilled by the view of the Brooklyn Navy Yard and East River traffic.

The  Manhattan Bridge was the last of four East River bridges–the others, in order of completion, are the Brooklyn (1883), the Williamsburg (1903), the Queensboro (now officially the “Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge”; also known as the 59th Street Bridge and as such immortalized by Simon & Garfunkel; March, 1909)–to be completed. The Manhattan Bridge was partially opened late in 1909, but not fully opened until 1912. It was designed by Leon Moisseiff, who was also involved in the design of the Golden gate Bridge and the Benjamin Franklin Bridge in Philadelphia, but whose reputation was blotted by his having been the principal designer of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, a.k.a. “Galloping Gertie” (caution: the linked video may give you nightmares, though it may also warm the hearts of dog lovers).

Source: Self-Absorbed Boomer
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/tzVM/~3/0hiqrSM-UOk/karl-junkersfelds-tale-of-two-bridges.html

Eleven designs were presented to the Brooklyn Bridge Park in June 2013, and team 11, or the Alloy/Monadnock team won. The development at John Street will include new parkland, to include pedestrian bridges over a tidal salt marsh, tree-lined pathways, and a 13,000-square-foot gathering lawn. The 12 story residential building will include 47 apartments and cultural and retail space on the ground floor, to be occupied by the Brooklyn Children’s Museum. The building will comprise a total of 96,440 square feet, 2,650 square feet of ground floor retail and 1,750 square feet of cultural space for the Brooklyn Children’s Museum annex.

More photos at DUMBONYC.

Source: Dumbo NYC
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DumboNyc/~3/y98OAqDYHQw/

“ATRIUM DUMBO The space formerly housing the Governor, which succumbed to Sandy, has been turned into this airy place with a mezzanine and water views. Laurent Kalkotour, who grew up in Provence, is the chef in partnership with Alexander LaPratt in the beverage department and Leslie Affre running the dining room. Mr. Kalkotour calls on his background for octopus carpaccio with fennel and olives but channels a different southern region for a pork chop garnished with spoon bread, piquillo peppers and bacon jam.”
Atruim is taking over the former Governor location, which closed after Hurricane Sandy.
Atrium Dumbo
15 Main Street (Water Street), Dumbo, Brooklyn, 11201
(718) 858-1095
atriumdumbo.com
Previously:
{Two New Restaurants Coming to Dumbo, 10May2013}
{Dumbo Commercial Real Estate Update (June 2013), 02July2013}
…

Source: Dumbo NYC
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DumboNyc/~3/tCMg26c0h5I/

Real estate investment firm RFR and Kushner Companies today announced that they have entered into a contract to acquire six properties in Brooklyn from the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society for $375 million. According to the press release (July 8, 2013), Jared Kushner (of Kushner Companies), Aby Rosen (of RFR), and Asher Abehsera (a former Two Trees Management Company executive) teamed up to purchase the portfolio of buildings which total 1.2 million square feet of commercial space. The buildings include:

• 117 Adams Street
• 175 Pearl Street
• 55 Prospect Street
• 81 Prospect Street
• 77 Sands Street
• 90 Sands Street

These buildings are included as part of the Brooklyn Tech Triangle master plan and could be key buildings in the development of the plan for creating appropriate commercial space and connectors between Dumbo, Navy Yards, and Downtown Brooklyn.

90 Sands Street is a 30 story, 500+ room residential building will be turned over vacant at closing in September, according to a NY Post story.

According to the Post, the Jehovah’s Witnesses moved their headquarters to Brooklyn in 1909. As part of their plans to move to Warwick, NY, they have been selling off a 34-building portfolio, including lots in Dumbo at 173 and 177 Front Street as well as 200 Water Street in April 2013.

(175 Pearl Street)

(90 Sands Street, Photo by a.pitch)

Related:
{The Watchtower Moving Some Operations from Brooklyn, 26Mar2009}
{Watchtower Properties in Dumbo?, 29Sept2011}
{Jehovah’s Witness Buildings Could Offset Brooklyn Bridge Park Costs, 08Oct2010}

Source: Dumbo NYC
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DumboNyc/~3/zlCNVc-KU9I/

The next Amazing Spiderman will be in theaters next year, but DUMBO got a sneak peek of star Andrew Garfield (or is that a stuntman?) in full Spidey regalia.

The Brooklyn Community Pride Center, located in Boerum Hill at 310 Atlantic Avenue, is hosting its Founders Ball on Thursday, April 4 from 6-9 p.m. at Dumbo Loft, 155 Water Street. The Ball is the organization’s major, annual fundraising event commemorating its 2008 launch and Fifth Anniversary.

This year’s event includes a two-hour cocktail reception with hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction and the first ever Founders Ball Awards honoring Tom Smith, Reg Flowers and Suzanne St. Pierre. Preceding the event is a VIP cocktail hour with celebrity guests; and following is the Junior Board’s after party.

The Brooklyn Community Pride Center is the only community center in Brooklyn dedicated to the LGBTQ+ community, with a mission to provide support & services to the borough via original programming and partnerships with like-minded organizations.

For information about the Founders Ball, contact Development Director Todd W. Fliedner at 347-889-7719 or tfliedner@lgbtbrooklyn.org. Tickets may be purchased online. General admission is $125.

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/56336

DUMBO NYC:

What? What?! The area in Brooklyn around Flatbush Avenue Extension in downtown Brooklyn is known as “RAMBO” (Right After the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) has showed up on Google Maps, according to NY Post. Google has set the boundaries to be between Nassau Street and Tillary Street and Flatbush Ave Extension and Gold Street. But don’t look for it anytime soon on the MTA maps, as when Dumbo was included in 2010, says a DOT staff who asked not to be named.

DUMBONYC image

Sunshades are being put up on the perimiter of Pier 5, seen here from the Promenade. Note also the blue parasols over the tables on the “Picnic Peninsula,” which is on the landward side of the pier. (Click on photo to enlarge; more photos and text after the jump.)

A closer view of Pier 5; note that benches are being installed facing the water.

A view from the Fruit Street Sitting Area of the site of the pedestrian bridge that will connect Squibb Park and Brooklyn Bridge Park below. Note the sections of the bridge lying on supports on the far side of Furman Street, and the path that now loops under the bridge.

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/52198

TONIGHT: Brooklyn Heights PS 8 is hosting its fourth annual “Night To Celebrate Reading,” with nearly a dozen authors participating, along with “wine, cheese, hors d’ouevres, author readings and hilarity.” The place: Galapagos Art Space in DUMBO at 16 Main Street, 7-10 p.m. Adults only, please.

This year’s authors include Katie Moline, Jeff Newelt, Monte Burke, Katie Roiphe, Dan Janison, Kevin Holohan, Tad Friend, Matthew Aaron Goodman, Seth Kaufman and more. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door, benefiting PS 8. More info here. See the flyer below.

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/51816

The weather forecast is encouraging, but with so many institutions, like Bargemisic, which is in good physical shape but still lacks Con Ed power, coping with the aftermath of the Sandy/nor’easter one-two punch, what is there to do if you’re in town? There’s the penultimate Smorgasburg of the season this Sunday, November 11 from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Tobacco Warehouse, Water Street at New Dock Street in the Fulton Ferry Historic District (I once described it as being in DUMBO and caught holy heck from the Fulton Ferry Landing Association). The final Smorgasburg of the season will be the following Sunday, November 18.

Brooklyn Heights Cinema, 70 Henry Street (corner of Orange) will be showing The Sessions and A Late Quartet. Showtimes are here.

The Brooklyn Historical Society, 128 Pierrepont Street (corner of Clinton) will have another of its tours of the Society’s historic building on Saturday, November 10, starting at 3:00 p.m. Details are here. Looking ahead to Thursday, November 15, starting at 7:00 p.m., BHS will present a lecture by independent scholar and author Andrew Coe, “Spilt Milk: the Bloody Food Rackets of 20th Century New York,” about how gangsters controlled much of food distribution in New York City in the first half of the past century. Details are here.

Know of anything else interesting happening in Brooklyn Heights or nearby this weekend or in the near future? Add a comment to this post.

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/51642

Wednesday’s Help DUMBO Rebuild Fundraiser has been postponed because of the imminent winter storm. It has been rescheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 14 at Galapagos Art Space in DUMBO. Email sandy@dumbonyc.org about refunds if you are not able to attend on the new date.

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/51496

As we know at this point, residents of Brooklyn Heights were fortunate as Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc over many other regions of the borough. If you’d like to help out those in neighborhoods that suffered great impact, info is below:

Shelter at Brooklyn Tech (entrance on South Elliott off DeKalb): To volunteer, please sign up on a daily basis. Meal times and overnight hours are most needed. Those housed there need the basics: toiletries, batteries, flashlights, papers towels, toilet paper and regular bath towels of any size. The shelter at John Jay High School needs socks and underwear.

Donations are being collected for Occupy Sandy Relief NYC for distribution to storm victims throughout NYC. See Facebook page here.

Several DUMBO retailers have suffered devastating damage, including Governor, One Girl Cookies, Aegir Board Work, PowerHouse, Galapagos Art Space, Almondine, SmackMellon, 66 Water Street Restaurant, The River Cafe and Punto Bianco. A number of residential buildings also had significant flooding and other complications from the storm, including 30 Main, 66 Water, 1 Main, 25 Washington. Many will have to rebuild substantial parts of their lobbies, basements, utilities and storage areas.

Some office buildings in DUMBO are open with full power, some with partial power and others, like 10 and 20 Jay remain closed. 10 Jay is dry but without power. 20 Jay’s the garage was flooded and is being cleaned up. Brooklyn Bridge Park and the Carousel took on a lot of water, as you saw in previous reports. To donate time or supplies, see Rebuilding DUMBO website here. Additional details on the recovery in DUMBO can be found at Rebuilding.DUMBO.is. Email Sandy@dumbonyc.org.

The DUMBO Improvement District is in the process of locating spaces for companies in Brooklyn and Manhattan that are currently displaced. Contact DUMBO Startup Lab at contact@dumbostartuplab.com; and Small Planet at info@smallplanet.com.

Borough President Marty Markowitz is offering space to displaced businesses at Borough Hall (seats, power and WiFi) for the next two weeks. To book, email cgreer@brooklynbp.nyc.gov. Please tweet @DUMBOBID if you have space available with #sandycoworking. (Photo: doorsixteen/Instagram)

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/50966

This just in from Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Facebook page about Jane’s Carousel, which was photographed last night surrounded by water (photo: Jen Carlson/Gothamist):

This just in from Jane Walentas: The horses are fine!

The wooden Carousel & horses as well as the building, are all fine. Unfortunately, however, The basement that houses all the electronics was totally flooded- 5ft. of water. As soon as we can pump it out we ‘ll assess the damage. We’re optimistic that the Carousel will be fine, but it will probably take some time to get it fully restored to happily prancing again.

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/50576

This just in from Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Facebook page about Jane’s Carousel, which was photographed last night surrounded by water (photo: Jen Carlson/Gothamist):

This just in from Jane Walentas: The horses are fine! The wooden Carousel & horses as well as the building, are all fine. Unfortunately, the basement that houses all the electronics was totally flooded, with 5 feet of water. As soon as we can pump it out we’ll assess the damage. We’re optimistic that the Carousel will be fine, but it will probably take some time to get it fully restored to happily prancing again.

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/50576

The time to evacuate for Hurricane Sandy has passed. It is time to shelter in place. Get to a safe, indoor location. Stay away from windows and remain above the 3rd floor but below the 10th floor, if possible. Once inside:
– Close and lock all windows and doors, close fireplace dampers.
– Turn off ventilation systems.
– Make sure you have emergency supplies.
– Only seal doors and windows if instructed to do so by emergency officials.
– Tune in to local radio or TV stations to get updates from emergency officials.

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/50223

Author L.V. Salazar’s “The Ghosts Of Brooklyn” offers spooky tales of a “house of suicides” in Brooklyn Heights, demonic wolves in Prospect Park and a coven of sperm-stealing witches in DUMBO. Writer Natalie O’Neill spoke with the self-proclaimed ghost specialist in The Brooklyn Paper.

In the piece, he describes “ghosts” as such: “Imagine two rooms connected by a revolving door. One is life and the other is afterlife. A ghost gets stuck in the revolving doors. They didn’t fulfill their purpose in this world—or something terrible & tragic happened—so they go around in circles for eternity.”

In his book of ghost stories, among other wicked happenings, a man bursts into flames in Brooklyn Heights. Fun! Read O’Neill’s interview here.

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/49743

An unused area of the Main Street Park in DUMBO is among expansion plans being discussed for Brooklyn Bridge Park. The area currently houses an unused Department of Environmental Protection building & Department of Transportation paint shed. Brownstoner reports that discussions are ongoing to add a sports court, dog run, skate park, boating program or climbing wall.

Reps will be at the Community Board 2 parks meeting Monday, October 15 at 6 p.m. (121 Dekalb Avenue) to discuss a design for the proposed Main Street conversion. BBP’s proposed timeline: A Board plan review in November, presentation to the Public Design Commission in December, and submitted design to the National Parks Service in January 2013.

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/49276

More than 500 artists and 100 programming partners participated in the 16th annual celebration, which once again successfully achieved its mission of shining the spotlight on Brooklyn’s cultural side. The entire neighborhood was transformed into a creative wonderland throughout the duration of the three-day festival, as studios, galleries, storefronts, park space, street corners, building lobbies, bridges and even shipping containers became canvases for artistic expression.

“I thought a lot of the photo pods were really interesting and compelling,” remarked first-time festival attendee Melinda Lin of the shipping containers on Main Street. The containers had been repurposed into tiny photo galleries showcasing images from Papa New Guinea and other areas of the world, as part of the foto/pods 2012 exhibition by United Photo Industries.

Lin, a Manhattan resident, was one of thousands who thronged the streets of Dumbo during the course of the festival, which was held Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

“We’ve gotten a lot of people who are Dumbo residents and then a lot of people who have traveled from different boroughs – and even different countries – to come to the festival,” noted Elise Gonzalez, who was selling merchandise for the Dumbo Improvement District at a booth under the Brooklyn Bridge.

Indeed, international visitors abounded, with tourists from Korea to Israel making their way to the neighborhood just to check out the Dumbo Arts Festival.

“I learned about the festival in Time Out and thought it sounded interesting,” said Yael Hurwitz, a tourist from Jerusalem, Israel, who had last visited New York City 20 years ago. “I think it was a really great event,” Hurwitz added, noting that she was especially impressed with the Entasis Dance performance in Main Street Park, which involved dancers positioned themselves around sculptures to become living extensions of the artwork.

Every conceivable artistic discipline seemed to be on display during the festival, which offered attendees an extraordinarily comprehensive view of the creative community in Brooklyn and beyond via indoor and outdoor art installations and exhibitions, large-scale projections on store facades and the anchorage of the Manhattan Bridge, and performances that encompassed music, dance, poetry, comedy and even the circus arts going on all throughout the neighborhood.

Festivalgoers also had numerous opportunities to get an up close look at the actual creative process, thanks to events like the Molten Iron Spectacular, which involved the heating and pouring of iron to create souvenir medallions that were then handed out to the crowd. It made for a dramatic spectacle on Plymouth Street, where flames were shooting out of a portable furnace that had been transported from Buffalo, New York for the event.

“We wanted to show the public a little bit about our process,” said sculptor Mike Dominick, who organized the event with fellow members of the Sculptors Guild. “People never get to see what goes on behind the curtain of the foundry and we take that away so you can actually see what happens,” explained Dominick, whose group had returned for the second year to conduct their iron pour at the Dumbo Arts Festival.

Other festival events encouraged attendees to delve into the creative process by trying it out for themselves via interactive exhibitions and art-making activities. At the Monster Drawing Rally hosted by the Dumbo Arts Center, for example, visitors of all ages drew and colored on massive sheets of paper tacked to the gallery walls. And tucked away in the gallery’s side room was a bubble drawing station run by Philadelphia-based artist Tim Eads, a first-time festival participant who taught visitors how to make colorful artwork using bubble solution tinted in a variety of bright hues.

“My work is really about trying to create these childhood fantasies, if you will, so I think of things that I used to love as a kid and just go crazy with that,” explained Eads, who described his art installations as “wacky machines.” One such installation, Traveler, drew a steady stream of curious onlookers to Eads’ bubble making station. Adorned with a feather skirt and comprised of a mannequin stand, fan, lamp parts and a motor, Traveler pumped out bubble after bubble that elicited squeals of glee from various visitors.

“It brings out the kid in everyone,” remarked festivalgoer Natalie Biggs of Flatbush, as she eagerly awaited an opportunity to create her own bubble drawing. Biggs, who had not previously attended the Dumbo Arts Festival, came away impressed with the celebration. “It was an enlightening experience that inspired wonderment and curiosity.”

The festival’s creative environment also sparked impromptu performances from artists who were not part of the official lineup, such as a charming puppet show on Main Street put on by five-year-old Ling Ling “Corn Snake” Ende of Bushwick with the help of Pablo del Hierro, a puppeteer visiting from San Juan, Puerto Rico.

“I asked him what should happen between these characters and he told me,” explained del Hierro, a member of the Puerto Rico-based traveling puppet company Poncili who was in town visiting Ende’s family. “Poncili is largely based on having child-directed shows.”

“We’ve been working together in the studio – all of us playing, creating things and making music,” added Adam Ende, Ling Ling’s father and the director of Brooklyn-based Jawbone Puppet Theater. “I came to this festival two years ago to visit and since the spring, I’ve been doing these street shows with my son, so I wanted to come and do them here.”

As the elder Ende packed up props and puppets, his son was reluctant to leave. “The show’s not over!” he called to the crowd. As your Brooklyn Bugle correspondents looked around at all the art and performances going on around us, we couldn’t have agreed more.

Photos 1- 35 by Tim Schreier
Photos by Lori Singlar
Click on image for larger version

Tale of the Tweets: DUMBO Arts Festival

This year’s DUMBO Arts Festival tried to convince folks that hackeysack is art. Yeah, no.

Storified by Brooklyn Bugle · Sun, Sep 30 2012 10:42:43

Crime has caved 78% in the 84th Precinct over the last two decades and 10% over the past year, according to the 84th Precinct Community Council—comprising the neighborhoods of Brooklyn Heights, Downtown Brooklyn, Boerum Hill, DUMBO and Vinegar Hill. An all-out celebration of safety was held Tuesday at Borough Hall for the 29th-annual “National Night Out Against Crime,” which builds relationships between cops and the communities they police.

Leslie Lewis, president of the 84th Precinct Council for 22 years, told the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, “We’re here to celebrate the success of the partnership between the community and the police. When this all started, it was too dangerous to walk around at night; nobody was on the streets. Now there are people on the streets, development everywhere. It’s a very different world. Because of the success of the partnership, developers started to spend money and encourage people to move here. It’s directly related.”

Cops from the 84th precinct grilled up hundreds of burgers and hotdogs at Tuesday’s celebration, with Deputy Inspector Mark Di Paolo serving as ringleader. He told the Eagle, “When it first began in 1984, this was a night where the community came out to feel safe, not victimized. Now, 29 years later, it’s more to celebrate how this partnership brought safety to the community.”

Crime is down 10% in the 84th Precinct overall this year, and down 5% in robberies, 22% in felony assault, and 60% in stolen cars.

Judy Stanton, executive director of the Brooklyn Heights Association, told the Brooklyn Daily Eagle that the 84th Precinct “is very responsive to local community needs as well as keeping a handle on the bigger issues in the precinct—terror targets, the bridge, etc. They give equal attention to big and little stuff.”

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/45411

While there’s hardly a similar open space in Brooklyn Heights, the DUMBO Improvement District is proposing an intriguing option: to close off traffic along Anchorage Place—which serves as the north entrance to Brooklyn Bridge Park—and turn it into a pedestrian plaza. A hearing on the plan was held Wednesday eve to air both sides of the proposal.

McBrooklyn reports that at least eight local businesses back the plan, citing pedestrian safety and more room for seating next to the colorfully painted Pearl Street Triangle. But Doreen Gallo, Executive Director of the DUMBO Neighborhood Alliance, believes that closing the street will take away from the “grandeur” of the neighborhood. She told the Brooklyn Eagle, “People can’t imagine this space and how this should be the Grand North Entrance to Brooklyn Bridge Park.”

Sadly, the Heights has no such “grand” entry point, after Mayor Bloomberg emphatically nixed a proposed BBP throughway from the most obvious entryway: along the southern tip of the Promenade. The best we’ve got is the coming Squibb Park Bridge that will connect the neighborhood from Columbia Heights across Furman Street to Pier One.

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/44110

Is it wishful thinking or a truly sustainable business plan? A coalition that calls itself The Brooklyn Tech Triangle believes that the borough has a burgeoning technology sector, surrounding Brooklyn Heights within Downtown Brooklyn, the Brooklyn Navy Yard and DUMBO, where it claims technology tenants have proliferated into a mini Silicon Valley.

The group is now seeking formal proposals to help “solve transportation and infrastructure challenges in the area,” according to The Real Deal. The Brooklyn Tech Triangle coalition—comprising the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, the DUMBO Improvement District and Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corp.—wants to create a “master plan” that includes a team to rethink physical improvements, land use, transportation, and real estate and economic policy.

“Whether it’s computer-operated machinery, film post-production or high-end design, 21st Century manufacturing at the Navy Yard is being driven by technology innovation,” says Andrew Kimball, CEO of the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corp. “Our growth is only confined by the lack of space and access to mass transit.”

Alexandria Sica, executive director of the Dumbo Improvement District, adds that her neighborhood “has become the destination for the tech industry in New York City, and the master plan will be important to ensuring Brooklyn can keep growing its tech scene. We are looking for creative, tangible actions that we can take to meet the high demand for office space in DUMBO and ways we can grow these companies throughout the area.”

In May, two high-tech firms signed leases in the Brooklyn Navy Yard: Crye Precision, a manufacturer of body armor, secured 80,000 square feet; and Macro Sea took 50,000 square feet to create a lab that will bring together design professionals and digital manufacturers.

The Real Deal, however, counters that office space in Downtown Brooklyn had some of the highest vacancy rates in the nation late last year, although it notes, “With the arrival of New York University’s Center for Urban Science and Progress, the tide is turning in an area that traditionally housed mostly the back offices for large financial services firms.”

(Graphic: Chuck Taylor)

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/44058

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/43686

The Brooklyn Bridge Park Corp. is expected to vote Tuesday June 19 on which developer will be awarded the contract to build the controversial BBP hotel and residential complex next to Pier 1 near DUMBO, as mandated by NYC Mayor Bloomberg to fund the future of the park.

Curbed refers to reports in The New York Times and Crain’s that favor Toll Brothers and Starwood Capital Group. Those companies have combined forces to offer a hotel comprising 200 rooms, with a 160-unit condo complex. There will also be 32,000 square feet of restaurant & banquet space, a 6,000-square-foot spa and 300 parking spaces. Under the development guidelines for the park, the hotel and connecting residences cannot exceed 100 feet in height, while a separate residential building can’t be more than 55 feet tall.

In addition, three more apartment buildings—one at John Street and two next to Pier 6—are planned for the park. The project, which would begin construction in 2013 and open in 2015, claims that it will generate $119.7 million in rent and other payments. It is conceivable that the multi-use residential and commercial complex will be complete long before the park itself.

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/42452

It appears that Johovah’s Witnesses don’t just own established properties within the boundaries of Brooklyn Heights. Crain’s and The Real Deal report that the religious group has commissioned Cushman & Wakefield to sniff out a buyer for three adjacent undeveloped lots in nearby DUMBO.

The parcels, at 173 and 177 Front Street—both vacant—and 200 Water Street—currently with a warehouse present—comprise 30,463 square feet that can be built up to 150,000 square feet for residential, commercial or hotel developments. All are between Jay and Bridge streets.

This is the first empty land the Witnesses have brought to the market, including the recently sold Bossert Hotel, 183 Columbia Heights and 161 Columbia Heights.

(Photo: The Real Deal)

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/41696

Any given day, one can see blissed-out couples posing for their formal wedding portraits along the Brooklyn Heights Promenade and the shore along the DUMBO side of Brooklyn Bridge Park. We came across the “Mille Fiori Favorati” blog in our daily web sweep for all things BH, and thought these were particularly endearing pics.

Blog author Pat, a life-long New Yorker and Brooklyn resident, writes, “So where does a girl and a guy who were born in Brooklyn, N.Y., go to have wedding portraits taken? Of course, under the Brooklyn Bridge in Brooklyn Bridge Park. My daughter and son-in-law wanted to have this iconic landmark as part of their wedding shots, even though they now call the state of Colorado home.” The photos were taken May 30.

See more sweet images below.

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/41566