Clumber Corner

Clumber Corner is a small, sloping patch of green tucked into a busy intersection where the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway meets the landings for the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges. Despite the surrounding roar of traffic, this one-acre site serves as a quiet urban retreat where local trees work to filter the air. The name of this parklet comes from a breed of dog known as the Clumber Spaniel. These dogs originated at Clumber Park in Nottinghamshire, England, which served as the kennels for the Duke of Newcastle. The breed was once called the retired gentleman's shooting dog because of its deliberate, slow gait and keen ability to locate game birds. While the park is small, it has served as a canvas for significant public art. Notably, it was the site for a nine-foot tall bronze and steel sonic sculpture of the rapper Christopher Wallace, better known as The Notorious B.I.G. This piece transformed the utilitarian space into a landmark for music history, bridging the neighborhood's industrial past with its modern cultural identity.