Despite its disparaging anacronym, D.U.M.B.O (Down Under the Manhattan
Bridge Overpass), is becoming another trendy neighborhood in Brooklyn. It
was dusk when I arrived in the warehouse district for the area's kick-off
event on Thursday, July 20. The lower-Manhattan skyline rose up in the
haze. The kick-off event drew over 400 artsy, business-y and related
"dot-com" networkers to the spacious, fluid restaurant Kino, at One Main
Street. "Downtown Brooklyn Connected" is the name of the high-technology
district in Downtown Brooklyn & D.U.M.B.O, and let me tell you -- watch
out Silicon Alley NYC! The number of attendees and the enthusiasm, energy
and activity going on in this community is vibrant and vital. The kick-off
event was an opportunity to see the
pre-built, pre-wired space now available for lease. With rents starting at
$16 square foot, the numerous warehouse areas available, and the community
development going on, the Downtown Brooklyn and D.U.M.B.O neighborhoods
are just what New York State needs to keep businesses
and industries in this state. Despite the market corrections and
shake-outs, we've lost far too much business to New Jersey and other
states that have far more attractive offers businesses.
And this was precisely the point of Councilman Kenneth Fisher of the 33rd
district. He spoke of Brooklyn's strong points -- colleges, close access
to fiber, close proximity to Manhattan, and the creativity of the people
who live there. The New York City Economic Development Corporation
(NYCEDC) also got involved in assisting the development of downtown
Brooklyn and D.U.M.B.O. The agency recently selected the Brooklyn Chamber
of Commerce to market these areas, collectively called Downtown Brooklyn
Connected, as high-tech districts in NYC EDC's Digital NYC wired to the
world program. Simon Applebaum, Senior Editor of Cablevision magazine, was
full of information, having just come back from a Boston conference about
the television and
Internet realms and their convergence. We chatted with the councilman, and
then Marjorie Cader (Kaplow Communications) introduced us to Kevin Umeh
(Element USA). They're going to move from Manhattan to become an anchor
tenant at 55 Washington Street in D.U.M.B.O. Up one level in the
tri-tiered restaurant, I chatted with Ellen Ullman (Working Woman) and
Gina Givogre (the
New York Methodist). Steve Rogenstein, co-producer of the D.U.M.B.O arts
center talked a bit about their Art Under the Bridge Festival, and I also
met Monica Rump, manager of Trade Relations for Brooklyn Goes Digital, who
has offices in the MetroTech Center. While NYNMA's CyberSuds was going on
in Manhattan, Alice O'Rourke was over to visit with members of the
organizations involved in Brooklyn, and I got to visit with PR 21's Renee
Edelman. Based on DJ Peter Anthony's impressive spinning, this large crew
wasn't going anywhere any Time soon!
