At next Quality of Life meeting, maybe we'll learn what happened with the promised Times Plaza open space
Dial In: 646-558-8656 || Passcode: 93061478837#
Meeting ID: 930 6147 8837
Presumably we'll get carefully managed, sunny updates on project progress, building openings, and retail progress from representatives of the developer(s) and ESD, plus the Barclays Center, though they do answer--with varying candor--questions submitted beforehand or during the chat.
Project-related questions and suggested agenda items may be sent to atlanticyards@esd.ny.gov.
Project-related questions and suggested agenda items may be sent to atlanticyards@esd.ny.gov.
What about Times Plaza?
That didn't happen, and subsequent promises of progress didn't deliver, either.
The work will only take place in the western part of the space, which is controlled by the Department of Transportation (DOT). The eastern portion of the plaza, with a historic structure controlled by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and guarded by bollards, is not part of the plan.
As shown in the image at left, the purple indicates space for a bike lane, and a neckdown to make for a shorter crossing of Flatbush.
The plans have been approved by the city's Public Design Commission (PDC), but "we’ve been under DOT review for several months," Greenland USA's Scott Solish said at the time.
Presumably there have been some back-and-forth comments since then. And while everything has been slowed by the pandemic, it seems like a civic loss, especially as more and more people go outside in warmer weather, to not have that public space.
The space would be maintained by the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership.
My question: what happened to the announced revamp of Times Plaza open space, at the intersection of Flatbush, Fourth, and Atlantic avenues.
As shown in the photos at right and above, the work hasn't happened--though there is a "ghost bike" memorial to a cyclist killed under the city's unforgiving street circumstances.
To reprise what I wrote in November 2019, I had reported in October 2017, how the open space revamp planned at Times Plaza might go into construction in the second quarter of 2018.
That didn't happen, and subsequent promises of progress didn't deliver, either.
The work will only take place in the western part of the space, which is controlled by the Department of Transportation (DOT). The eastern portion of the plaza, with a historic structure controlled by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and guarded by bollards, is not part of the plan.
As shown in the image at left, the purple indicates space for a bike lane, and a neckdown to make for a shorter crossing of Flatbush. Heavy planters would be movable (with a forklift). Also movable would be tables and chairs. There's space for a vending kiosk operated by the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, bike racks and trash cans.
The plans have been approved by the city's Public Design Commission (PDC), but "we’ve been under DOT review for several months," Greenland USA's Scott Solish said at the time.
Presumably there have been some back-and-forth comments since then. And while everything has been slowed by the pandemic, it seems like a civic loss, especially as more and more people go outside in warmer weather, to not have that public space.
The space would be maintained by the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership.
Another view of the "ghost bike"
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