And the Walentas Boys Said, Let There Be Dumbo

"We own the whole neighborhood,” says Jed Walentas in a Times profile about the changes Two Trees Management has brought to Dumbo as the neighborhood's biggest landlord and de facto master planner. The article focuses on how David and Jed Walentas have manufactured a cultural zone in Dumbo by offering free or heavily discounted rents to a slew of arts organizations and artists (like the new Galapagos space at 16 Main Street, right). “It adds value to any neighborhood,” says David Walentas of luring artists to the 'hood. “It’s like good architecture. Good architecture is cheap and adds value. People will pay a premium for it.” We couldn't agree more, and wish more developers would realize that good architecture is good business. It goes without saying, of course, that the Walentas crew has plenty of critics, including those who are fighting to block the Walentas' Dock Street development.
The Lords of Dumbo Make Room for the Arts, at Least for the Moment [NY Times]

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Comments

Must be in the name of the arts that Two Trees sells its tenants' addresses. More junk mail is always exciting.

Posted by: guest at March 6, 2008 10:12 AM

I will give the guy credit for seeing the potential when he started buying up property in 1981. The area was totally desolate after 6 PM, with abandoned buildings everywhere and you had to walk to Brooklyn Height for its "exciting" nightlife. I don't love everything about Two Trees, but this guy had some vision, and was leading the pack, not following along. (Of course, there was already an artists' community living in the mostly industrial buildings, both legally and illegally.)

Posted by: Carol Gardens at March 6, 2008 10:40 AM

Well, I got off at the York street subway station the other day and was shocked at how many people got off the train. So many types of people, it was really cool. Dumbo was no man's land a little while back and now it's populated with a substantial amount of people. I think it's great.

Posted by: guest at March 6, 2008 11:22 AM

11:22 - you rule.

Posted by: BrooklynLove at March 6, 2008 12:25 PM

"Good architecture is cheap . . ." ?
Someone (preferably an architect) explain or defend that statement please?

Posted by: guest at March 6, 2008 1:50 PM

york street station just a few years ago was skechy

Posted by: guest at March 6, 2008 7:25 PM