By Samuel Newhouse and Mary Frost
Brooklyn Daily Eagle

JOHNSON STREET – Dozens of people encountered a startling change while walking through Downtown Brooklyn Thursday morning.

The bench-lined thoroughfare in Columbus Park -- informally called the Rose Walk -- was closed off with metal barriers and guarded by court officers who would not allow pedestrians to pass through.

This area was selected by the City Parks Department to serve as a temporary parking lot for judges and some other court personnel while the parking lot adjacent to the Supreme Court is being renovated – which may last for two months.

The Rose Walk is the shady half of Columbus Park, lined with rose bushes, that connects the Post Office to the Supreme Court building next to Borough Hall.

Many pedestrians appeared to assume that the blockaded park was just a one-day disruption, due, perhaps to a water main break or a bomb scare. When the actual purpose was explained to one man, however, he was incredulous: "No, you’re joking, right?" he said.

"I’m really pissed off," said a woman who works at City Tech (New York City College of Technology) on Jay Street. "I don’t think that they should take the park. I hope it’s temporary – and I hope they discontinue it."

One woman was so outraged she was literally sputtering. "I’m going to call 311," she said. "I’m going to call newspapers."

The decision to use this part of the park was announced in a statement by Hon. Abraham G. Gerges, administrative judge of the Brooklyn Supreme Court Civil Term.

“During the construction process, which is to commence in early October and is expected to take two months, the Parks Department has granted the Supreme Court permission to park in the north end of Columbus Park near Johnson Street,� he said.

“Every effort will be made to minimize the impact on pedestrians. Removable barriers will be erected daily from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. to insure the safety and security of all park users.�

Ironically, this temporary parking area, approximately 200 feet long and 40 feet wide, is much larger than the original parking lot and occupies a location where foot-traffic is much heavier.

The other, original parking lot is in an area that has been used by the Brooklyn Supreme Court for decades and became the subject of debate a few months ago when the city said that it would remove a portion of the area used for parking.

Some judges objected to this unanticipated decision by the city and parks department, and contemplated filing a lawsuit to keep their parking spaces.

The city and the courts compromised, deciding that while the majority of the lot will remain intact – for continued use by judges and certain court personnel who drive vehicles -- a portion of the lot will now be relinquished.

The “access strip,� which runs parallel to the existing pedestrian sidewalk, will be handed over to the public, presumably for use by pedestrians walking through Cadman Plaza Park, near Borough Hall.

Currently, the access strip not only serves as an area for parking vehicles, but also serves as the entrance for the larger portion of the parking lot. Therefore, a new entrance must be constructed. It likely will be built beside the old entrance on the north side of Joralemon Street.

Ryan Thompson of the Brooklyn Eagle contributed to this story.

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