After $11M in Repairs, Is Borough Hall Plaza a Plaza, or a Parking Lot?

5:03 PM EST on November 20, 2015

Bklyn. Borough Hall plaza almost redone. Now it returns to its intended purpose: parking. @StreetsblogNYC pic.twitter.com/rYE6pgpGxF
— Brian Howald (@bdhowald) November 20, 2015

This year, contractors hired by the Parks Department got to work replacing the bluestone in the plaza outside Brooklyn Borough Hall, which was busted up due in part to people -- including former borough president Marty Markowitz -- parking cars on it.

The $11 million project isn’t finished, but someone has already started using the new granite pavers for parking again.

“Before we know it, Borough Hall Plaza will once again be the community common space we have long come to love and treasure,” Borough President Eric Adams told the Brooklyn Eagle in April. And nothing says "community space" like personal auto storage.

The granite may hold up better than the bluestone, but is Borough Hall Plaza a plaza, or a parking lot?

We have a request in with Adams' office about whether he intends to allow the plaza to be used for parking after the city spent millions to repair it.

Brad Aaron

Brad Aaron began writing for Streetsblog in 2007, after years as a reporter, editor, and publisher in the alternative weekly business. Brad adopted New York's dysfunctional traffic justice system as his primary beat for Streetsblog. He lives in Manhattan.

Stay in touch

More from Streetsblog New York City

Auto Insurance

BREAKING: State Lawmakers Cut Hochul’s Car Insurance Scheme From Their Budget

The Uber-backed plan to lower car insurance rates has drawn criticism from legal professionals, crash victim advocates and state pols who say the legislative changes would strip crash victims of rights.