Brooklyn has become a very different city over the last 30 years and has taken on a role as a major global city with a unique quality quite different from its neighbor across the East River. Its unique and dynamic qualities lay the foundation for how communities can redefine public spaces.
Brooklyn can do much better. Instead of the current plan to privatize a key part of Brooklyn's waterfront, there are alternative approaches to this transformation that would better serve the community.
The city's and state's vision planning process for the Brooklyn Maritime District presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reconnect our historic Brooklyn neighborhoods to the waterfront and create a significant community destination.
A social hub is by nature community led. It is local, even hyper-local. It can ripple out from a single enterprise on a block, spread to others, and evolve organically
At the street level in Brooklyn and Paris, buildings with small shops that spill into the public space and have a small plaza or double-loaded sidewalk thrive.
Many people think that Brooklyn Borough Hall, Court House, and Cadman Plaza may be the most underperforming public spaces in New York City. The potential is enormous.
The Brooklyn promenade is stark and not very inviting except for the extraordinary view. By initially adding a few items to experiment with, the community could see great possibilities for the future.
