By Aiden Raheb
Introduction
Dumbo is a vibrant neighborhood in Brooklyn that borders the east river. It was established in 1883 and its close proximity to Manhattan accompanied with its recent development has made it a hotspot for the people of New York. The name Dumbo was coined in 1978, it stands for down under Manhattan Bridge overpass. As the city of New York grew, so did Dumbo, the neighborhood became a trendy cultural hub. I spend a lot of my time in Dumbo and have fallen in love with everything it has to offer.
Dumbo before Gentrification
The Dumbo area has a rich history in industrialization, being located at a waterfront made it the perfect location for ship manufacturing and repair. The Brooklyn Navy Yard was built in 1801 and is one of the oldest shipyards in the country. It produced battleships that fought in many wars such as The American Civil War, WWI, WWII, and several others. The neighborhood of Dumbo was primarily for industrial use, this resulted in many job opportunities for immigrants and people in need of work. The neighborhood during this time had a culture influenced by patriotism and war. Neighborhoods surrounding the navy yard would organize entire blackouts to avoid potential enemy bombings. There was a powerful military presence in the area to protect against terrorist attacks and sabotage, which made the Dumbo area very safe even petty crime was uncommon. The high demand for battleships during times of war had a positive impact on Dumbo’s economy. However, working conditions were not safe, due to constant exposure to asbestos many workers were at risk of malignant mesothelioma cancer. This also posed a risk for residents of the area.
As WWII came to an end so did the funding for the Brooklyn Navy Yard which eventually shut down production in 1966. This resulted in a lot of jobs leaving the area, warehouses became vacant and Dumbo was seemingly forgotten by the rest of New York City. For almost two decades the neighborhood was desolate and underdeveloped for residential use.
The People of Dumbo
It was evident that the Dumbo area was neglected by New York City, all the attention was focused on the gentrification of SoHo and NoHo at the time. Due to the increasing cost of living in the hot areas many New Yorkers had moved to more affordable regions like Dumbo, while it was still mostly uninhabited at the time the residential demographic was comprised of artists and homosexuals. Many people started taking advantage of the forgotten neighborhood, squatters moved into the abandoned lofts in waves. Artists would repurpose the vacant industrial buildings as home studios, party spaces, and performance spaces this brought a sense of community to the neighborhood. The manufacturing companies on the ground floors were struggling to stay afloat so they paid no mind to the new illegal residents. This movement brought new life to Dumbo that had never been seen before. Although Dumbo was still a very undesirable location this change provided future developers like David Walentas a glimpse into what Dumbo could become. In hopes of preventing gentrification in Dumbo, the residents decided to name the area Dumbo at one of their community loft parties. They believed the unattractive acronym would help avoid popularity and future development. As this movement grew in popularity the city would try to prohibit squatters in the 1990s.
As Dumbo evolved as a neighborhood so did its demographic. The people of Dumbo reflect the neighborhood’s environment and cultural norms of the time. Before the gentrification of the area, Dumbo was predominately comprised of immigrant families in the working class, at the time it was a very diverse area. There was a large African American, Hispanic, Italian, and Irish presence for a while but the 20th century marked a major demographic shift. As property costs increased and gentrification accelerated many of the original residents were priced out of the area. This is a common theme across all of New York City, the constant displacing of immigrant families seems to normalize systemic racial segregation. By 2010 the Dumbo area was predominately white, and the neighborhood almost entirely pandered to high-income New Yorkers. The double-edged promise of revitalization comes at the cost of the erasing of cultural identities and communities.
As of 2024 Dumbo’s residents are predominantly wealthy, there are a lot of families in the area along with young professionals working in the technology industry. Development in Dumbo resulted in many luxury homes and office spaces which appeal to these types of people. Artists and creatives are still active in the area although rising rent prices have made it challenging for them. The Dumbo area is full of money and is home to anyone that belongs to the top 1%. Because Dumbo has a rich history in the arts that tradition has been passed down, many residents actively participate in the creative events in the neighborhood. Due to Dumbo’s economic exclusivity, the neighborhood has developed a strong community. Although there is racial diversity most residents earn well above the national average. Those who cannot keep up with the prices often rent for a short term.
The chart below is the demographic makeup of Dumbo in 2022.
As of 2024 the median household income in Dumbo is $163,310 and the average is $232,020. This is a testament to the development of Dumbo and the impacts of urban development on the socioeconomic environment. The large change is in part due to the tech industry finding roots in the neighborhood and the high property cost prices out those that don’t belong to the upper class. The median real estate price is $3,709,451 which makes Dumbo more expensive than 98.6% of the neighborhoods in NYC and 99.6% in the U.S.. The average rental price in Dumbo is $6,612 which makes it higher than 99% of the rest of the neighborhoods in NYC. There is a 10% vacancy year round which is 61.8% higher than other American neighborhoods, this data suggests that there is a weak demand for housing in Dumbo due to extremely high prices.
Developing Dumbo
Nothing would significantly change until David Walentas with Two Trees Management bought and started developing the entire area. Mr. Walentas understood that the artists were revitalizing the area and decided to offer support instead of displacing them. He strategically implemented these artists into the infrastructure of the neighborhood. This helped Dumbo rebrand as an artistic area, by preserving the culture it increased its potential to be gentrified. Mr. Walentas gave artistic organizations spaces for free or at a cheap price to ensure that they wouldn’t be displaced. He believed that SoHo failed by not retaining its artists and didn’t want to make the same crucial mistake. Because Dumbo is a historic neighborhood nothing can change without approval from the Landmarks Commission. Two Trees Management wanted Dumbo to become a residential space rather than a commercialized area, this vision would eventually come true over the course of 15-20 years. As the manufacturing business started going out of business the City Planning Commission switched the zoning in Dumbo to prioritize residential use. This important change would set the groundwork for luxury apartments like the One Main Street building.
The first major project was at 29 Jay Street. With the help of the City Planning Commission and the Landmarks Preservation Commission, Mr. Walentas was able to start renovating with the intention of creating the first-ever commercial building in the neighborhood. The end result was 11 stories and over 250,000 square feet that would be leased to tech companies. This project played a significant role in the transformation of the neighborhood, by bringing new industries to Dumbo new opportunities were being created out of thin air.
My Experience in Dumbo
During my time observing Dumbo, I noticed how energetic the neighborhood is. There are so many things to experience in the area, and this brings a large crowd, particularly on weekends. I’ve had the pleasure of eating at several restaurants in the area and can attest to the fact that this neighborhood has some of the best food options in Brooklyn. When walking the streets I could see the rich history in the architecture, many buildings have historic significance so they were renovated rather than rebuilt. I appreciate the preservation of the neighborhood because it adds a lot of personality to the area. This is what makes the Dumbo area stand out from the rest of New York, this appeal has drawn in many hipsters and modern people. The neighborhood feels very safe even at night, with so much going on I can confidently say that Dumbo is one of my favorite areas in New York City.
Retail Landscape Growth Overtime
As discussed earlier Dumbo was entirely reliant on warehouses and factories, due to the industrialization impact on the surrounding area there weren’t many retail options. During the 1980s and 1990s, local stores selling niche goods such as local art, artisanal goods, and vintage clothing appeared. As the gentrification ramped up luxury retail stores, specialty shops, and high-end furniture stores dominated the area to appeal to the higher-income residents. Fine dining establishments are all over the neighborhood, but there are still affordable options mixed in.
The Future of Dumbo
I believe that Dumbo will continue to be developed and attract people for many years to come. As more money comes into the area business will try to get a piece of the profits. This will bring in many unique high-end retail and food establishments, as a result, Dumbo will remain a cultural hotspot in NYC. Because Dumbo prioritizes art it only makes sense for this industry to grow as well, this is a huge draw for New Yorkers so I can foresee a lot of development in this aspect. It is crucial to analyze the tech industry because it plays an important role in the area, and future development will entail more commercial/office spaces opening up. This growth could potentially lead Dumbo to become a tech district.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Dumbo’s transformation has impacted many aspects of the neighborhood. Including affordability, demographic makeup, and culture in the area. The development of Dumbo is just another example of New York City’s constantly growing landscape. New industries now thrive in modern-day Dumbo, a spot that was once vacant is now a trending neighborhood for both New Yorkers and tourists.
Citations
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