Pest Control in DUMBO, Brooklyn
DUMBO, short for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass, is a small waterfront neighborhood tucked between the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges, with Vinegar Hill to the east and Brooklyn Heights to the south. Its Belgian-block streets are lined with massive former warehouses and factories now converted into condos, offices, galleries and tech company headquarters. The view of the Manhattan Bridge framed by Washington Street is one of the most photographed spots in the city. Brooklyn Bridge Park and Jane's Carousel sit along the water. The York Street F station and ferry landing make it easy to reach Manhattan, and many residents are professionals and families living in large loft units.
Also known as: Dumbo, Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass.
About DUMBO
In the 1800s this waterfront was a manufacturing hub anchored by businesses such as Robert Gair's company, which built reinforced-concrete factories here and made corrugated cardboard boxes. Warehouses stored coffee, spices and machinery. As shipping moved away, the buildings emptied. Artists moved in during the 1970s and coined the name DUMBO, and developer David Walentas bought many buildings in the 1980s, converting them to lofts and offices in later decades.
Common Pest Problems in DUMBO
The Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges draw huge numbers of pigeons, which nest in the steel framework of the overpasses and on the ledges of old warehouse buildings. Their droppings coat sidewalks, window sills and rooftop terraces. Rats forage from restaurant trash on Front and Water Streets, from picnic waste in Brooklyn Bridge Park, and along the waterfront, and the old cobblestone streets and brick foundations offer plenty of hiding places.
Mice find their way into converted loft buildings through freight elevator shafts, old utility penetrations and loading doors that were never meant to be airtight. Cockroaches are generally a smaller issue in the newer condos but can come in with deliveries or spread from ground-floor cafes and restaurants in mixed-use buildings. Because many buildings are so large, pests often move through basements and service corridors before residents notice them. Heavy tourist foot traffic adds food litter as well.