After my lunch at the famous Grimaldi's Pizza, i went off by myself to explore the Brooklyn Waterfront. Explore is the right word. It is a maze of inlets, dead ends, bridge pylons, shipping outposts and warehouses that is unlike anywhere in city.
Standing on the Fulton Landing, if you looked south, there are miles of industrial land spotted with a few open public viewing areas like those in redhook (maybe I'll go next week). Looking north, there are the 3 of the east river's 5 main bridges. The Brooklyn Bridge (BB), Manhattan Bridge (MB) and Williamsburg Bridge (WB). Being a NYC cyclist, i have had a very intimate knowledge of these bridges for some time...that is i have crossed them many times. Under them however, especially on the Brooklyn side is very unique.
I set out to see the waterfront under these bridges at every possible opening on the water...most of which are legally available to the public. Right under the BB is a nicely developed public park that offers great views of the Manhattan skyline. Its a great place for a walk, a quiet lunch or morning coffee with your paper. But, i did not want to spend the day at another postcard viewing deck so off i went up river.
The road under the MB is Plymouth. It, like most in the neighborhood is crumbling cobblestone. But this street has old trolley tracks exposed. Its a nice aesthetic I'm sure the neighborhood likes and would defend in the face of any kind of modern paving. This is DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) a nice hidden niche of semi legal renovated warehouses that has become one of the most coveted neighborhoods in Brooklyn. Good bars, quaint cafes and amazing views of the city and very cool looks at the bridges from underneath. I once had an opportunity to live in a 2000 square foot space for under $700. Not anymore...but that's how that goes.
Just north of the MB is a hidden village...one of New York's few gated communities. I couldn't actually get inside any of the properties, but the area just outside on Hudson is very much like a small upstate New York river town. I took some nice pictures before getting stopped by a private security car hired by the neighborhood committee to keep out unwanted riff-raff. I, as you could imagine, was not pleased by this and stood my ground. I was actually done visiting these blocks, so after i successfully defended my rights and shued off the hired goon, i left...feeling rather proud of myself.
There is no public access to the water for most of the area between the MB and the WB. This is taken up by the Brooklyn Navy Yard. An old outpost, this facility has been used or almost used for many purposes over the years: shipping, power plants, garbage incinerators and even a giant old Hollywood style movie studio. The ride around the yard isn't very pretty but it is very interesting. Navy to Flushing to Kent is a bike ride filled with views of empty lots, great street art, old and current shipping ports and the Domino Sugar complex. A study in New York History is in part a study of the history of the U.S. shipping industry. The East river is a major part of that. But seeing as i don't really want to study the shipping industry and my few attempts to bypass various security messures on the river were thwarted...let's move on.
Along Kent is Williamsburg. This neighborhood is one of NY's most diverse, historic and interesting. I lived in 3 apartments here and will revisit this area later on my tour. Directly under the bridge are a few dead end water openings. Dirty, probably dangerous very small openings with good views. Good spots for graffiti and any sort of clandestine activity. just before the neighborhood gets hip and expensive, (maybe now just past that) is the Grand Street park. It is a great little spot on the river. Its got a few park benches, a grassy park and some nice crumbling cement dividers with rusty barbed wire.
This spot is a very well known (in the neighborhood) sunset spot. Unlike other spots further south on the waterfront, here the sun sets over the skyline and and some points of the year, almost behind the bridge. Get a good day, like Wednesday when i went and the whole bridge gets washed in orange. This spot is special to me because the days after 9/11, I went everyday with about a dozen friends from the hood to sit and watch the smoke lifting from lower Manhattan.
There are a few other very noteworthy spots along the river further north, but that is for another trip on another day.
For now, enjoy some pics from today's journey.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/82369865@N00/
No comments:
Post a Comment