.. DUMBO IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT ..

Overview

DUMBO, originally known by the name of Fulton Ferry Landing because of the ferry service to Manhattan, was coined as an irreverent moniker in the late 70s. The creators of the acronym were the artists who started the exodus from SoHo across the East River in search of affordable live/work spaces, and found themselves between the Bridges in long ago-abandoned warehouses. The irony was intentional; a mockery of those decidedly more polished acronyms such as SoHo and TriBeCa invented by city planners to market neighborhoods to real estate developers. At that time DUMBO was merely a funny acronym; however, that would soon change. The artists whose creative nomenclature proved catchy were also the catalyst driving the neighborhood's regeneration into one of the city's most dynamic destinations.

DUMBO’s history extends far beyond its transformation from a derelict waterfront to the thriving mixed-use community it is today. Long before it attracted its contemporary merchant base of boutique clothing stores, furniture designers and other artisans, DUMBO, attracted purveyors of another sort, namely those that made things in large quantities.

• Overview • A Transportation & Manufacturing Center • The Downturn • The Reinvestment of the Private Sector • DUMBO Today

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