Evan Haddad
There ain’t no mountain high enough in Bushwick. Not yet, at least.
Brooklyn Boulders, a rock-climbing space with locations in Gowanus and Long Island City, is planning to rent a single-story warehouse in Bushwick for its biggest facility yet.
With about 35,000 square feet, the new spot at 121 Morgan Ave. will be considerably larger than the climbing chain’s others. Lance Pinn, company co-founder and president, said the new station might feature climbing walls stretching 40 feet or higher—taller than those at the Gowanus and LIC, which top out at 30 feet, Crain’s New York Business reported.
“People that are training for climbing outdoors, scaling 1,000-foot walls, enjoy that extra height,” Pinn said. “This location will be bigger and have a better design. It’s Brooklyn Boulders 3.0.”
But higher walls depend on Princeton Holdings, the landlord owning the Morgan Avenue warehouse. Before any expansions start, the real estate company must first approve of raising the 20-foot-tall roof.
After the rock-climbing venue at Gowanus became a hit, Pinn expanded Bushwick Boulders to Boston and Chicago. He has plans to open locations in Denver and Los Angeles, according to Crain’s.
Pinn said the Bushwick location will help attract even more Brooklynites. Gowanus, a neighborhood bordering Park Slope and Carroll Gardens, is a trek for wishful climbers who live in northern Brooklyn neighborhoods such as Bushwick and Williamsburg.
Brooklyn Boulders will be facing solid competition from Metrorock Climbing, which will open just a mile away at 321 Starr St. this winter, according to Matt Yosca from Metrorock Climbing.
The approaching shutdown of the L train in 2019 is a factor, Pinn believes, but it’s not necessarily a bad one.
“People won’t move away because of the shutdown,” Pinn said. “More of them will stay in town to work and play.”
In addition to the indoor-climbing business, Brooklyn Boulders has forged ahead into other extreme activities, including adventure travel, guided expeditions to climb, surf and ski.
Cover image courtesy of Brooklyn Boulders