Howe’s Brooklyn: Heading a New Generation Reviving DUMBO, BID-head Kerrigan Gets More Tools

THE DUMBO IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT’S NEW LEADER, KATE KERRIGAN, works with big spaces. During the next several months, into early next year, she will be working with Department of Transportation Commissioner JANETTE SADIK-KHAN to reconnect two halves of DUMBO, which for the last 17 years have been divided by a blocked Manhattan Bridge underpass. Specifically, the large archway rooted on Water Street has been closed to the public while it functioned as a storage facility for ongoing bridge repair.

“I have the best of both worlds: I live in Park Slope, but work in DUMBO,” said Kerrigan, who acknowledged that she would love to live in DUMBO if she were not happy on the Slope.

For all the people expected to move to DUMBO within the next year (the DID puts that number at 4,000) the need is growing for a town center. The charmingly named Pearl Street Triangle, now a gritty, unevenly paved wedge, is to be the center of that effort, with the soon to be pedestrian-friendly archway on the western side providing a covered meeting space. The DID’s web site goes so far as to say, “The creation of a pedestrian friendly Pearl Street Triangle is essential is to the successful future development of DUMBO.”

Although some people are kicking around ideas for a temporary flea market or event space in the archway, practical uses would be those in which intermittent communication is okay, due to constant interruptions by the overhead trains. Some DUMBO observers are hoping that a pilot program for bike sharing, similar to one now successfully operating in Paris, might be based there. Sadik-Khan said yesterday that DOT has put out RFPs (requests for proposals) for such a project, and they are expecting feedback by Sept. 15. (In fairness, the suggestion to use that space for such a project came from a DUMBO fan, not DOT).

Bike use in DUMBO is definitely growing, according to Kerrigan. She praises JOSH BENSON, head of DOT’s bike program, for being ultra-responsive when more bike racks are requested in DUMBO. Recently, new racks were installed near 45 Main St. and the Pearl Street Triangle.

Kerrigan has nearly a decade of experience and innovation in community and economic development. Kate has been associated with Downtown Alliance, the largest BID in North America, since its inception.

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MORE NOTES ON PEOPLE:

JOIN GOWANUS DREDGERS FOUNDER OWEN FOOTE in a statewide beach cleanup, in collaboration with the American Littoral Society, concentrating efforts on the upland areas. Each of these events removes hundreds of bags of trash from the estuary in order preserve and sustain life there. A quick visit to www.gowanuscanal.org reveals the locations for upcoming cleanups, contact numbers for the leaders and a contact number for Barbara Cohen, for anyone interested in organizing a cleanup event.

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ON SEPT. 6, OUTPOST LOUNGE in Clinton Hill hosted the opening of Brooklyn’s first-ever (we think) hula hoop-centric art show, “Push the Perimeter.” The gallery of wildly decorated “professional grade” hoops were celebrated with performances by local hoop dancers and disc jockeys.

“Squiddie,” a 26 year-old professional hoop dancer and teacher, is updating the hula hoop of the 50s to something a little spicier. When she first approached Outpost about selling her handmade hoops, owners GARY and COLIN were concerned the hoops might clash with the art show on the wall, and instead agreed to give the hoops their own show.

Over a period of three months, Squiddie commissioned hoops from professional hoop dancers from Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn and Philadelphia. Hoops like Justin Aubuchon’s multi-colored “Clownfish,” a fabric-covered hoop built specifically for stilt walking, now grace the walls. The show will remain open through mid-October.

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A THREE-WEEK LIMITED ENGAGMENT of “Refuge of Lies” at the Lion Theatre will be directed by Brooklynite STEVEN DAY and feature one former Brooklynite, ARTHUR PELLMAN, playing Conrad/Pieter. The show will open Sept. 12.

Day earned a degree in theatre arts while studying under Marion Castleberry, whose recent production of The Traveling Lady was nominated for a Drama Desk Award. After college he held a series of jobs, first in Wales working with street youth, then as an actor and technical director for the Burning Coal Theatre Company. He continued on to earn an MFA in directing at Baylor before landing in Manhattan, where he has worked with award-nominated artists and built his directing experience. He currently is the lead director for a web animation called Vertical Learning Curve (www.vlcglobal.com) and most recently, Day has become a member of the Lincoln Center directing lab.

For eight years Pellman has taught acting at SUNY College at Old Westbury, while using his warm voice to do voiceovers for a medley of uses. He holds an MFA from the Yale School of Drama.

BRIEFLY NOTED:

The following students recently graduated with degrees from the Harpur College of Arts and Sciences at Binghamton University, SUNY: History: ANDREW TALIA (11204), DANIEL TRIGLIANOS (11209), KEISHA BENJAMIN (11212), JAMES MINEROFF (11215) and SEAMUS DOLAN (11228). Anthropology: WILLIAM CHOW (11226). English: WEN RUAN (11220) and TALISHA WHITE (11221). Philosophy: DAVID LOWER (11215), ADAM HARRIS (11229), JESSE RHINE (11230). Mathematical Sciences: ALICE LIN (11224), THOMAS MELLOR (11219), SHILUN WANG (11204). Psycology: JERMAINE DARNELL McINTOSH (11203).