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Go inside the home of a jazz legend, learn how to make a subway map, spend an evening in a private art collection, and more!
This unconventional tree has a great view of the Manhattan Bridge!
Christmas trees in New York City come in all shapes and sizes, from the classic Norway Spruce that goes up at Rockefeller Center every year to more off-beat trees that pop up around the five boroughs. This year you'll find an origami tree, a lobster trap tree, and at the anchorage of the Manhattan Bridge in Dumbo, a Construction Cone Tree!
The DUMBO Improvement District commissioned local Brooklyn artist Casey Opstad to create Construction Cone Tree in 2023 as "a cheeky nod to Dumbo’s ongoing capital street improvement project." That project is bringing major infrastructure repairs to the area such as restored Belgian block streets and the new plaza. Since the project is slated to finish by the end of 2025, this is the last holiday season the construction-themed tree will be on view.
The unconventional stands just under 10 feet tall and is made of 162 cones! The bright orange boughs are wrapped in rainbow-colored string lights and topped with a shining star. When the tree went up last year, it was accompanied by a sign that explained its origins with a poem. It read:
'Twas the month before the holidays and all through the 'hood
Construction was epic - which in the long term was good.
Too dusty for douglas fir, too cramped for a spruce,
What kind of tree could the Dumbo BID use?
The answer was obvious - it just had to be
The very first ever Dumbo construction cone tree!
"This tree reflects a very Dumbo moment that all New Yorkers can relate to," Alexandria Sica, President of DUMBO Improvement District told Untapped New York, "Part of life here is the ebb and flow of construction - from the renovation of our historic streets to the new construction of gorgeous buildings. We wanted to celebrate that, with a wink to our resilient community of indie small businesses thriving throughout it all!"
You can see the Construction Cone Tree at Dumbo Archway Plaza, where it is set against a view of the Manhattan Bridge, now through Christmas Eve! Since the capital street reconstruction project is slated to finish by the end of 2025, this is the last year to see the tree.
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In addition to this quirky tree, there are a variety of ways to get in the holiday spirit around Dumbo. Kids can mail a letter to the North Pole at Santa’s Mailbox and enter for a chance for $100 Dumbo Dollars to make spend locally. You can also shop for gifts at The Brooklyn Flea x Dumbo Market and enjoy a warm beverage as you walk beneath the twinkling lights outside!
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