New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Department of Parks & Recreation (NYC Parks) Commissioner Sue Donoghue, and New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez today announced a more than $40 million investment to deliver vibrant public spaces and street safety improvements along Fulton Street and across Downtown Brooklyn. This project will deliver streetscape improvements, transportation and public space upgrades including improved bus service and new public art, and pedestrian and roadway user safety enhancements — supporting the continued recovery of Brooklyn’s largest economic hub. The project is part of Mayor Adams’ $375 million investment in creating exciting, new public spaces across all five boroughs outlined in his “Working People’s Agenda,” and builds on the goals of the “New” New York Panel for the growth of the city’s commercial districts.
“Downtown Brooklyn is our most populous borough’s largest economic hub. And today, we are bringing it into the future with more than $40 million for green space, efficient transportation, and safe streets that hard-working New Yorkers deserve,” said Mayor Adams. “This is how we reimagine our city, reinvigorate our neighborhoods, and revitalize our business districts: with more room to walk, to bike, and to enjoy retail and restaurants safely. And with our $375 million investment in vibrant, new public spaces, building on the work of the ‘New’ New York panel, we are delivering more public space in every single borough.”
“We are committed to focused, coordinated work that results in more public space and safe streets for all New Yorkers,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. “I commend the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, NYC Parks, and DOT for their quick work, which will make the ‘Midtown of Brooklyn’ the benchmark for successful mixed-used communities.”
“Over the course of developing the recommendations from the ‘New’ New York panel, experts from business, transportation, public health, education — any and all sector in New York City — all agreed on the importance of vibrant, dynamic public spaces as the connective tissue that make our cities fun, livable, and competitive,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Maria Torres-Springer. “I am thrilled by today’s announcement, an investment that will advance the agenda of the Adams administration and the ‘New’ New York panel, further transforming Downtown Brooklyn into a place for all New Yorkers to enjoy.”
“With new street trees, tree pits, and seating on the way to Fulton Street, Downtown Brooklyn is about to get even more beautiful,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Donoghue. “I’m grateful to Mayor Adams, our partners at our sister agencies, and the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership for their dedication to beautifying this vibrant corridor. This project shows how multiagency collaboration and public-private partnerships can enhance our public spaces for the benefit of all New Yorkers, and I look forward to seeing Fulton Street’s transformation in person.”
“Downtown Brooklyn is becoming an exciting example of variety of the ways the city can redesign our streets to prioritize safe and efficient transportation options. We’re building protected bike infrastructure, dedicated bus lanes, and adding pedestrian space to create a welcoming, vibrant commercial hub,” said DOT Commissioner Rodriguez. “We thank Mayor Adams, the Parks Department, and the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership for their partnership in reimagining our streets.”
“In the ‘Making New York Work for Everyone’ action plan, published by the ‘New’ New York panel, we recommended meaningful investments in the public realm to improve biking, enable pedestrian access, and improve public transit, and here is the city making exactly such an investment,” said Richard R. Buery, Jr., co-chair, ‘New’ New York panel; and CEO, Robin Hood. “As a native of Brooklyn, I am thrilled with the announcement, and I know that a reimagined, dynamic, safe public realm will benefit all New Yorkers.”
“To stay competitive and to thrive, cities must evolve, and part of this evolution is making meaningful investments in more dynamic public space,” said Daniel Doctoroff, co-chair, “New” New York panel; and former CEO, Sidewalk Labs. “I applaud Mayor Adams’ continued leadership on the public realm, evidenced by the city’s focus on Downtown Brooklyn and the upgrades that will go directly to making the area a globally relevant urban space where people want to live, work, play, and study.”
“The city’s investment in Downtown Brooklyn’s public realm demonstrates a profound commitment to the neighborhood and the realignment of our streets for pedestrians, cyclists, and mass transit users,” said Regina Myer, president, Downtown Brooklyn Partnership. “Downtown Brooklyn has become a thriving mixed-use neighborhood, and these improvements will further enhance the downtown experience for shoppers, office workers, and residents alike. With the beautified, safer streets afforded by this plan, we solidify Downtown Brooklyn as a nationwide leader in creating a people-first downtown. Thank you to Mayor Adams and the city for helping us spearhead a dynamic infrastructure that champions the needs of Brooklynites.”