State takes blame for crumbling Dumbo warehouse

State officials have taken the blame for allowing a Civil War–era warehouse in Dumbo to deteriorate, forcing the closure of the Empire–Fulton Ferry State Park near the Brooklyn Bridge. The Empire Stores building, an abandoned coffee and tea warehouse, has long been eyed for development. David Walentas of Two Trees Management had the development rights for years before the Empire State Development Corporation switched them to developer Shaya Boymelgreen in 2002. The state then took back the development rights from Boymelgreen, saying he let the site languish for too long. The ESDC plans to convert the warehouses to a performing arts venue.