Downtown Brooklyn

Whatever you think of the idea of a highrise cluster in Downtown Brooklyn, you have to worry that the sponsors of the Atlantic Yards project suggest that creating jobs and housing justifies the kind of planning that discourages street life. Among the lowlights of the marathon August 23 "public hearing" on the draft Environmental Impact Statement covering the Atlantic Yards, consider these signs:

This spring, the DOT transformed the corner of Willoughby and Adams Streets in downtown Brooklyn from a dull gray, little-used automobile pass-through (above) into a pedestrian space complete with chairs, benches, plants, tables and sun umbrellas.  But would the people come? Filmmaker Clarence Eckerson took his video camera to the corner to find out. The result is a 1-minute, 26-second Streetfilm on the Willoughby Street transformation.  He quotes Streetsblog's own Ethan Kent:

A rendering of the Sands Street bike path on the Brooklyn side of the Manhattan Bridge

Illegally parked government employees are subtracting $46 million a year in potential parking fees from New York City's coffers, according to a new study by transportation consultant Bruce Schaller. Eliminating government employees parking perks would not only generate revenue for the city it would also help reduce traffic congestion.

A correspondent sends in this photo of the morning commute on Bergen Street in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn. Moments before snapping it the photographer says he was "stopped at a light with six cyclists, all of whom looked at each other and smiled as if to say, 'any more of us and we'll need a permit!'" Including the cyclist who appears to be riding illegally on the sidewalk and the photographer standing in the middle of the street blocking traffic, I count six bikers. The neighborhoods around Downtown Brooklyn have the highest rates of bike commuting in all of New York City. This spring and summer is likely to set new records.

The other day, the NYC Department of Transportation unveiled a proposal to build a new pedestrian-only plaza with tables, benches, greenery and bike racks in Downtown Brooklyn along two blocks where Willoughby and Adams Streets intersect. According to a New York 1 report, the bottom two floors of the city-owned building at 345 Adams will also be opened up for retail use. The Metrotech Business Improvement District will be responsible for managing the new public space. Here's an overhead plan sketch: