Climbers who were itching to boulder in Brooklyn finally can head to Bouldering Project Brooklyn, a new, revamped climbing gym which took over the old Brooklyn Boulders space in Gowanus.
After a December 2022 shutdown, the climbing gym, nestled in the old Daily News garage, reopened on New Years day with additional walls and fitness classes.
“There was not much space in Brooklyn Boulders and the space now just feels more friendly and accommodating to people,” said Hallie Lahm, a member and climber at Bouldering Project Brooklyn who used to go to Brooklyn Boulders.
Originally a climbing gym with roped climbs, the space is now strictly a bouldering gym with expanded climbing terrain, shorter walls and squishy floors to break falls.
Every wall mixes functional with the aesthetic. If you position yourself right near the entrance, you can see this fusion right on display with multiple textured volumes on separate walls that morph into a blooming flower.
All of the holds are demarcated by color, based on a difficulty range. Unlike most climbing gyms, each aqua blue climbing wall along with their geometric volumes are custom built in house by a team of craftsmen and carpenters.
With 10 locations across the nation, Bouldering Project will reconfigure the walls at the end of each month to give members a completely unique challenge.
However, with over 16,000 square feet to play around with, BP Brooklyn isn’t solely a bouldering gym.
“We build community here. Friends bring friends and everyone just ends up having a great time,” said head of product Kevin Jorgeson, who is also a legendary climber.
Members can take yoga classes throughout the day in a heated studio. There is a coworking space in the back, and the facility offers birthday parties, parents’ night out events and other community activities for both children and adults.
At its core, Bouldering Project Brooklyn fosters community through climbing and fitness.
“It’s nice to see people and bump into them and ask them for advice or do yoga or climb together,” said Joseph Castellano, a member of Bouldering Project Brooklyn who says he goes to every morning yoga session. “It’s a nice community that’s starting to grow.”
