Brooklyn Strand workshop coming up Monday

Would create a ‘world-class gateway’ into Brooklyn

September 16, 2015 By Mary Frost Brooklyn Daily Eagle

The Brooklyn Strand plan would link green spaces together from Borough Hall to Downtown Brooklyn to Brooklyn Bridge Park. Courtesy of WXY Studio

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Community Board 2 and the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership are hosting a presentation and workshop on the Brooklyn Strand proposal this Monday, September 21, at 6 p.m. at the Willoughby Senior Center, 105 North Portland Avenue, between Park and Myrtle avenues.

The Brooklyn Strand plan would link green spaces together from Borough Hall to Downtown Brooklyn to Brooklyn Bridge Park, and create “a world-class gateway” into the borough. It includes renovating the Cadman Plaza and Borough Hall areas, increasing the number of bike lanes and pedestrian walkways, and adding retail spaces, cafes and pedestrian plazas. Another goal is to create opportunities for affordable housing development.

Phase II of the plan will be discussed on Monday. Phase II involves re-envisioning the areas under and along the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway from the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges to Commodore Barry Park.

The Brooklyn Strand is a continuation of a series of proposals put forth by the Brooklyn Tech Triangle Coalition last year.

In March, the first phase of the proposal was presented at a meeting hosted by the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, Community Board 2’s Parks Committee and Claire Weisz of WXY Studio.

For Borough Hall Park, the planners want to improve bike access and walkability. One proposal would put the parking lot next to Borough Hall underground, providing pedestrians with amenities and a spot for events.

In another proposal, the War Memorial in Cadman Plaza Park would be renovated and possibly turned into a learning center.

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams recently allocated funds toward these two projects.

Other ideas discussed as part of Phase I were improving the connection from the Korean War Memorial to nearby Cadman Plaza Park, and creating a plaza in front of the General Post Office building.

The "Gateway to Brooklyn" would revamp the area immediately coming off the Brooklyn Bridge, utilizing Anchorage Plaza and improving pedestrian access to Brooklyn Bridge Park. Courtesy of WXY Studio The “Gateway to Brooklyn” would revamp the area immediately coming off the Brooklyn Bridge, utilizing Anchorage Plaza and improving pedestrian access to Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Proposals also include redoing the “BQE Connector.” One idea includes turning the area near the stairs leading from the Brooklyn Bridge pedestrian footpath into a pedestrian street with a cafe.

The entire proposal can be viewed at http://assets.downtownbrooklyn.com/documents/Brooklyn-Strand-2015.pdf