Brooklyn Strand

NYC Office of the Mayor 

Downtown Brooklyn Partnership 

NYC Department of Parks & Recreation 

Brooklyn Bridge Park 

WXY architecture + urban design 

Brooklyn 

Strand 

Urban Design Action Plan

Produced by: 

WXY 

SSE 

MNLA 

DGA 

ARUP 

Superflex 

Architecture & Urban Design 

Traffic Recommendations 

Landscape Architecture 

Lighting 

Civil & Acoustic Engineering 

Artist Consultant 

Brooklyn Strand Urban Design Action Plan — May 2016 

WXY 2

Agenda 

I 

The Brooklyn Strand 

II Community Engagement 

III Strand Recommendations 

1 Columbus Park 

2 Tillary Parks 

3 Brooklyn War Memorial 

4 Gateway to Brooklyn 

5 Anchorage Market 

6 Bridge Parks 

7 Trinity Park 

8 Connecting Tillary 

9 Park Avenue Crossing 

10 Reconnecting Neighborhoods 

11 Art & Innovation 

IV Summary of Recommendations 


WXY 3

I 

The 




WXY 4

Overview 

In July 2014, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a series of initiatives meant to further the 

successful growth of Downtown Brooklyn into a thriving, 21st century Downtown. Among 

those was an opportunity to “Reinvent the Brooklyn Strand”— by connecting Downtown 

Brooklyn to its waterfront through a reimagined series of disconnected parks, plazas, and 

greenways – spanning more than 40 acres of publicly-owned land. 

In response to this vision, over 40 stakeholder groups from the Downtown Brooklyn community 

worked together over the two years to offer suggestions for a “re-imagined Brooklyn Strand.” 

This community planning effort included more than 250 stakeholders, 50 site walkthroughs 

and meetings with individuals and organizations, and more than 200 community members who 

attended at least one of five public workshops. 

The community vision around the Brooklyn Strand has the ability to transform the quality 

of public space in Downtown Brooklyn. It is a major effort to also better connect people in 

surrounding neighborhoods and to make the waterfront more accessible. The following package 

represents the community vision as laid out in the planning process described above. It includes 

both short and long-term recommendations to the City on how we can reimagine our 

public realm. 


WXY 5

Building Off Brooklyn’s Accomplishments 

WILLIAMSBURG 

Brooklyn Bridge 

Park 

DUMBO 

VINEGAR 

HILL 

Brooklyn Tech 

Triangle 

Farragut 

Houses 

BROOKLYN 

HEIGHTS 

Ingersoll 

Houses 

Whitman 

Houses 

DOWNTOWN 

BROOKLYN 

FORT 

GREENE 

COBBLE 

HILL 

BOERUM 

HILL 

Brooklyn Cultural 

District 

CLINTON 

HILL 

Barclays Center 


WXY 6

Brooklyn Strand Today 


MetroTech 

Cadman Plaza Park - Lawn 

Commodore Barry Park - East 


WXY 7

Brooklyn Strand Over Time 

Sands Street, 1924 

Sands Street, today 


WXY 8

Brooklyn Strand Over Time 

1924 

Original street grid 

interconnects neighborhoods 

with building lined streets 

1937 - 1964 

Cadman Plaza Park is 

completed; 

City fabric is interrupted by the 

BQE, creating disconnected 

neighborhoods 

Today 

Studying how to reconnect 

city fabric and unlock more 

public open spaces 


WXY 9


Cadman 

Connector 

Columbus Park 

Korean War Veterans Plaza 

Cadman Plaza Park 

Anchorage Plaza 

Old Fulton St 


WXY 10


BQE 

Connector 

Bridge Park 2 

Bridge Park 3 

Commodore Barry Park 

Navy St 

Tillary St & Park Ave 


WXY 11

Activities & Recreation Today 

Brooklyn Book Festival 

Columbus Park Greenmarket 

Performances 

Community Park Stewardship 

Brooklyn War Memorial Events 

School Activities 


WXY 12

Activities & Recreation Today 

Afropunk Festival 

Brooklyn Pit Bulls 

The Diamonds 

Community Park Stewardship 

Community Dance Classes 

Harvest Fest 


WXY 13

Strand Mission 

The Strand is... 


WXY 14

Strand Mission 

...a community-based, conceptual plan for 

connecting Downtown Brooklyn neighborhoods 

to one another and to the waterfront. 

...an ongoing effort to bolster activities 

happening in the area today. 

...a vision to enhance public spaces that better 

serve local communities and cultivate new 

economic opportunities for all of Brooklyn. 


WXY 15

Strand Objectives 

Reconnect 

Neighborhoods 

Craft a Gateway 

to Brooklyn 

Advance 

Public Space 

Equity 

Explore Economic 

Opportunities 

Improve 

Park Access 


WXY 16

Recommendations 








10 Reconnecting 

Neighborhoods 





WXY 17

II 

Community 

Engagement 


WXY 18

Community Engagement Process Summary 

Walkthroughs with over 40 

local organizations 

5 community workshops 

Reaching over 200 people 

Logging over 300 comments 


WXY 19

Stakeholder Walkthroughs & Community Workshops 


WXY 20

Logging Over 300 Comments 

Reconnecting 

Neighborhoods 

Parks & 

Open Spaces 

Activities & 

Recreation 

Amenities & 

Services 


WXY 21

Comments for Reconnecting Neighborhoods 

Improve Pedestrian 

& Bike Connectivity 

Better Discourage 

Illegal Parking on 

Public Land 

Activate Streets 

with Improved 

Lighting, Amenities 

& Services 


WXY 22

Comments for Parks & Open Spaces 

Remove Fences & 

Create Better Park 

Access 

Improve Park 

Lighting & 

Amenities like 

Comfort Stations & 

WiFi Stations 

New Plantings, 

Trees & Green Walls 


WXY 23

Comments for Activities & Recreation 

Improved Park 

Athletic Facilities 

Places for BBQ & 

Picnics 

More Public Art, 

Movie Nights & 

Cultural Events 


WXY 24

Comments for Amenities & Services 

More Affordable 

Housing 

More Local 

Businesses like 

Laundromats, 

Grocers, & 

Restaurants 

More Athletics & 

Community Facilities 


WXY 25

III 




WXY 26

Strand Recommendations 

1 

Columbus Park 


WXY 27


Overview: 

Current Conditions: 

Opportunity: 

Columbus Park is an exceptional civic park, central to Downtown 

Brooklyn and part of a transit hub which handles high volumes of park 

visitors and pedestrians daily. The Borough Hall steps are popular for 

sitting, gathering, and events. Columbus Park is host to an established 

GrowNYC Greenmarket and home to the Brooklyn Book Festival. 

The replacement of Columbus Park’s bluestone paving is currently in 

construction. Planned improvements include the New York City Department of 

Transportation’s (DOT) Tillary-Adams Streetscape Improvement Plan. The space 

southeast corner of the park is currently being used as a surface parking lot to 

the Kings County Supreme Court judges. This critical space is mapped park 

land and sits at a key crossroads of Downtown Brooklyn adjacent to Fulton Mall 

and the Brooklyn Law School. 

Transform a lot dedicated to 36 parking spaces for local government officials 

into an iconic public space complete with an elevated plaza, destination 

restaurant, rationalized pedestrian and vehicular access, while retaining 

parking below. Reinforce path to and from MetroTech with an improved eastwest 

diagonal crosswalk north of Joralemon St and highlight Borough Hall. 


WXY 28

1 Columbus Park — Stakeholder Comments 

Improve Adams St 

crossing and accessible 

connection to MetroTech 

Eliminate fences; 

create path through park 


WXY 29

1 Columbus Park — Vision Concept 


WXY 30

1 Columbus Park — Vision Concept Explained 

Major public space 

integrates judges’ parking, 

an amenity space, stepped 

seating and raised lawn 

Shortened Adams 

St crossing with 

accessible ramp to 

Borough Hall 

Fences eliminated; opens 

paths through park 


WXY 31

1 Columbus Park — Stakeholder Comments 

Plaza east of 

Borough Hall fenced 

off and underutilized 

Improve crossing 

experience and 

streetscaping 


WXY 32

1 Columbus Park — Vision Concept 


WXY 33

1 Columbus Park — Vision Concept Explained 

Remove fences and 

activate plaza space with 

improved landscaping 

and new seating 

Major public space 

integrates judges’ parking, 

an amenity space, stepped 

seating and raised lawn 

Shorten 

Joralemon 

St crossing 


WXY 34


2 

Tillary Parks 


WXY 35


Overview: 


Opportunity: 

Columbus Park connects to Korean War Veterans Plaza and Cadman 

Plaza Park to the north. Both parks are characterized by mature 

London Plane trees and formal, axial paths, typical of mid-20th century 

NYC park design. Both parks’ edges are largely fenced or walled 

that limit park access to entrances that no longer align with current 

pedestrian desire lines. 

To the west of Korean War Veterans Plaza is the Brooklyn Heights branch of the 

Brooklyn Public Library. The construction of residential housing will draw more 

residents to these parks and increase the demand for park space. Tillary St is 

a wide arterial street that separates Korean War Veterans Plaza from Cadman 

Plaza Park. DOT’s approved Tillary-Adams Streetscape Improvement Plan will 

widen sidewalks and narrow Tillary St crosswalks to create a better link between 

these two parks. 

Integrate the Korean War Veteran Plaza into the surrounding neighborhoods 

through improving accessibility and lighting, limiting unnecessary vehicular 

access, creating additional plaza space, and emphasizing this significant 

memorial. Across Tillary St on Cadman Plaza South, the approach to Cadman 

Plaza Park from Downtown Brooklyn can be redesigned to encourage uses 

which complement the successful active uses on the popular turf playing field 

to the north. Two existing structures could also be renovated for destination 

concession uses and public amenities such as restrooms. 


WXY 36

2 Tillary Parks — Stakeholder Comments 

Korean War Veteran Plaza is 

closed off from its surroundings, 

especially on east side 

Cadman Plaza East is 

largely used for parking; 

should be rethought as 

a plaza that connects 

surrounding parks 


WXY 37

2 Tillary Parks — Vision Concept 


WXY 38

2 Tillary Parks — Vision Concept Explained 

Pedestrianized Cadman Plaza 

East activates east edge of 

Korean War Memorial Plaza 

Unlocked open space and 

enhanced connections between 

Korean War Veterans Plaza, 

Whitman and Cadman Plaza Parks 


WXY 39

2 Tillary Parks — Stakeholder Comments 

Current paths do not 

reflect pedestrian 

desire lines 

Closed park building 

is an opportunity for 

new park amenities 


WXY 40

2 Tillary Parks — Vision Concept 


WXY 41

2 Tillary Parks — Vision Concept Explained 

New paths improve 

pedestrian connectivity 

through park 

Reopen existing 

structure as new park 

amenity building 


WXY 42


3 

Brooklyn War 

Memorial 


WXY 43


Overview: 


Opportunity: 

Set in the north end of Cadman Plaza Park, the Brooklyn War Memorial 

(dedicated in 1951) is a 10,000 square foot granite and limestone 

structure dedicated to more than 300,000 “heroic men and women of 

the borough of Brooklyn” who served in World War II. Robert Moses 

planned to build five World War II memorials for New York City, one 

in each Borough. The only one that was built is in Brooklyn and it has 

been closed to the public for 25 years. 

Borough President Adams has recently allocated $1 million to the renovations 

of the Brooklyn War Memorial. Some improvements are beginning on 

perimeter the this area: U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) is currently 

implementing the Roosevelt U.S. Courthouse Perimeter Security improvements 

along Cadman Plaza East and Adams St. The improvement plan includes 

limiting vehicular traffic on Cadman Plaza East (between Tillary St and Red 

Cross Pl) and proposes incorporating a north-south 2-way dedicated bike lane. 

The bike lane has yet to be implemented. 

The plan to reopen the Brooklyn War Memorial would rehabilitate the building 

and advance the vision for it as a war memorial and learning center. The 

landscape and topography around the building can be opened and re-graded to 

provide for optimal passive and active uses, connections within the park, and 

views of the Brooklyn Bridge. This project has a greater purpose of reopening 

the space to the public. 


WXY 44

3 Brooklyn War Memorial — Stakeholder Comments 

Landscape around War 

Memorial is currently not 

universally accessible 

Cadman North’s 

lawn is in need 

of an update 


WXY 45

3 Brooklyn War Memorial — Vision Concept 


WXY 46

3 Brooklyn War Memorial — Vision Concept Explained 

Memorial renovated to 

include visitors’ center 

and is universally 

accessible throughout 

Re-landscaped areas 

surrounding Memorial 

are more inviting for 

community use 


WXY 47


4 

Gateway to 



WXY 48


Overview: 


Opportunity: 

Brooklyn is enjoying growth in the number of visitors, residents, local 

students, and workers which are greeted with an abysmal entrance to 

the Borough off the Brooklyn Bridge pedestrian walkway. 

The existing Brooklyn-side, Brooklyn Bridge stair entrance is located under the 

bridge on Cadman Plaza East at Prospect St. This entrance is narrow, not clearly 

marked or visible, and is disorienting for locals and visitors alike. To the south 

of the Brooklyn stair entrance is Cadman Plaza Park which terminates at the 

Brooklyn Bridge southbound Cadman Plaza West exit ramp. 

The northeast tip of Cadman Plaza Park slopes up and the Cadman Plaza West 

exit ramp slopes down, creating an opportunity to bridge the exit ramp and 

create continuous pedestrian access from the park to the Brooklyn Bridge 

promenade. This plan would cover vehicular traffic that cuts pedestrians off 

from the waterfront, while creating a viewing platform with easy, rational and 

universal access to the Brooklyn Bridge promenade. It would make creative, 

adaptive re-use of spaces underneath access ramps and activate underutilized 

parkland adjacent to the Bridge that could be re-opened as public markets, 

recreation space, and world-class plazas befitting the architectural grandeur 

and world renown of the Brooklyn Bridge. 


WXY 49

4 Gateway to Brooklyn - Vision Concept 

Enhance the Brooklyn 

Bridge experience 

Connect Cadman Park, the 

promenade & Anchorage 

Plaza with a new access 

bridge 

Lift Cadman Plaza Park 

to meet new promenade 

access bridge 

Create a shared street 

plaza at the bridge 

promenade stair 


WXY 50


Make Cadman Plaza East 

more pedestrian friendly 


WXY 51

4 Gateway to Brooklyn — Stakeholder Comments 

Improve signage to 

and from Brooklyn 

Bridge walkway 

Improve lighting 

in park and 

under bridge 


WXY 52

4 Gateway to Brooklyn — Vision Concept 


WXY 53

4 Gateway to Brooklyn — Vision Concept Explained 

Improved lighting 

under bridge 

Improved wayfinding 

for Brooklyn Bridge 

walkway 

New painted bike 

lane connecting to 

Cadman Plaza East 

New shared street 

under Brooklyn Bridge; 

traffic limited to service 

and local workforce 


WXY 54


Northeast point of 

Cadman Plaza Park slopes 

up; creates opportunity 

to bridge over the ramp 

Cadman Plaza Park terminates at 

a Brooklyn Bridge off-ramp; an 

unpleasant and disorienting space 


WXY 55



WXY 56


New access crafts a 

new Gateway into 

the Brooklyn Borough 

Cadman Plaza Park lifted 

to meet new promenade 

access bridge 


WXY 57


Add lighting along 

path off of bridge 


WXY 58


With limited visual 

connections to downtown 

Brooklyn, the Brooklyn 

Bridge Promenade can be 

very disorienting 


WXY 59



WXY 60


New access bridge is 

elevated above promenade; 

creates visual connection 

to Downtown Brooklyn 

Illuminated bridge 

improves safety and 

visibility along path off of 

Brooklyn Bridge at night 


WXY 61


5 

Anchorage 

Market 


WXY 62


Overview: 


Opportunity: 

Anchorage Plaza is a series of public spaces that wrap the base of 

the Brooklyn Bridge Anchorage. Anchorage Plaza is a Department of 

Parks-owned space that sits as an entry point to the borough and is 

closed to the public. 

Anchorage Plaza, including the space to the east and west of the Brooklyn 

Bridge (south of the Brooklyn Queens Expressway) and the space under the 

Main Street Arch, represents 75,000 square feet. A majority of this space is 

currently being utilized by the DOT Bridges Repair Unit. 

With the Brooklyn Bridge Promenade stair and Cadman Plaza Park immediately 

to the south, DUMBO directly to the northeast, Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 

1 two blocks northwest and many neighborhoods within walking distance, 

Anchorage Plaza is positioned to create a new civic commons that better 

connects Downtown Brooklyn and surrounding communities to the waterfront. 

In particular, programming the plaza as a public market would create 

opportunities to support local business, provide new community amenities 

and bolster an already active destination. Creating a greater destination at 

the Brooklyn end of the Brooklyn Bridge would improve the experience for 

residents and visitors alike. 


WXY 63

5 Anchorage Market - Vision Concept 

Improve pedestrian and 

bike access along Old 

Fulton St 

Create a new promenade 

along Anchorage 

Plaza West 

Create a public market in 



WXY 64

5 Anchorage Market — Stakeholder Comments 

Lack of activity along 

path to DUMBO and 


Poor pedestrian 

connections surrounding 



WXY 65

5 Anchorage Market — Vision Concept 

Note: Brooklyn Bridge arch blocks will remain closed. 


WXY 66

5 Anchorage 5 Anchorage Market Market — Vision — Vision Concept Concept Explained 

Improved access along 

Old Fulton St through 

promenade and 

widened sidewalks 

Activated Anchorage 

Plaza area and accessible 

Main St connection 

between DPR spaces 



WXY 67

5 Anchorage Market — Stakeholder Comments 

Stair and elevator 

access to Brooklyn 

Bridge needed 

Open up for exhibits, 

food vendors, market 


WXY 68

5 Anchorage Market — Vision Concept 



WXY 69

5 Anchorage 5 Anchorage Market Market — Vision — Vision Concept Concept Explained 

New stair and 

elevator access to 

Brooklyn Bridge 

Redesigned plaza 

with flexible space 

for exhibits, food 

vendors and markets 



WXY 70


6 

Bridge Parks 


WXY 71


Overview: 


Opportunity: 

Bridge Parks 1, 2 and 3, wrap around the base of the Brooklyn Queens 

Expressway (BQE). Bridge Park 1 and west Bridge Park 3 sit between 

the BQE and the Manhattan Bridge. The York St Subway Station 

(F Train), located on the northwest corner of Bridge Park 2, draws 

pedestrian foot traffic from DUMBO, Vinegar Hill, the Navy Yard, 

Farragut Houses and other surrounding neighborhoods. While they see 

moderate use as a small pocket park and a basketball court, they are 

exposed to loud noise from the Manhattan Bridge subway lines. 

Bridge Park 2 and east Bridge Park 3 are better protected from noise but have 

seen little public investment. Aside from a playground, this portion of Bridge 

Parks is largely characterized by cracked asphalt and tall chain-link fences. 

The athletic facilities are under-invested and underused. Because of the F 

Train entrance location, there is a clear desire to walk through Bridge Park 2, 

alongside the BQE, to access York St Station. This path is currently limited to 

because it crosses through the playground for which access is limited to adults 

with children. This path is also visually obstructed by an existing comfort 

station. 

Because of the strong pedestrian desire line to the F Train, proximity 

to high noise levels, lack of lighting and sight-line, hard surfaces, and 

being underutilized, there is an opportunity to comprehensively rethink 

improvements to the Bridge Parks. 


WXY 72

6 Bridge Parks - Vision Concept 

Improve Bridge Parks 

Re-locate comfort station 

& adjust playground fence 

to better connect parks 

Add more plantings & 

park features that better 

support community 

activities 

Create new Sands St 

crosswalk 


WXY 73

6 Bridge Parks — Stakeholder Comments 

Wrap BQE wall 

with a green-wall to 

dampen noise 


under bridge spaces 

and sidewalks 

Add green spaces, 

seating, formal 

playground, picnic 

areas, event spaces 

Connect parks to 

improve access to 

neighborhood amenities 


WXY 74

6 Bridge Parks — Vision Concept 


WXY 75

6 Bridge Parks — Vision Concept Explained 

Green wall 

dampens noise 

from highway 

Improved lighting 

under bridge and 

along path towards 

York St subway 

New seating and 

gathering spaces to 

support community 

activities 

Fences adjusted 

for clearer program 

areas and to better 

connect parks 


WXY 76


7 

Trinity Park 


WXY 77


Overview: 


Opportunity: 

Trinity Park is a quiet pocket park on Nassau St between the 

Manhattan Bridge and the Brooklyn Queens Expressway (BQE). To the 

north is a large area (approximately five acres) of Park-owned land that 

is inaccessible to the public, cut off by BQE access ramps. 

The interchange between the BQE and the Manhattan Bridge currently has 

duplicative ramps that further decrease usable park land. Sands St (between 

Gold St and Jay St) and Gold St (between Sands St and Nassau St) are 

currently dominated by traffic infrastructure, lack pedestrian continuity, and 

lack amenities and services. Also, there is a need for a crossing between Jay St 

and Gold St. Pedestrian access to the Bridge is provided via Manhattan Bridge 

Plaza. Though beautifully renovated, Manhattan Bridge Plaza is currently not 

universally accessible. The Jay St east sidewalk is interrupted by the Manhattan 

Bridge Jay St exit ramp, redundant with the Concord St exit one block south. 

This area presents a large opportunity to reimagine and activate the large 

and completely disconnected area north of Trinity Park and to improve 

streetscaping and both pedestrian and bike traffic more appropriately 

throughout this area. In regard to bike traffic, this interchange presents an 

opportunity to further enhance bike access along Nassau St, reconfigure 

access to the Manhattan Bridge and create a new east-west connection across 

Flatbush Ave. Connections to the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway gives bicycle 

infrastructure and connection to the Manhattan Bridge in this area a broader 

significance. 


WXY 78

7 Trinity Park - Vision Concept 

Consider opportunities 

to reconfigure BQE- 

Manhattan Bridge 

interchange to unlock 

more usable Trinity Park 

space, creating areas for 

BBQ, picnic & public art 

Reconfigure bike access to 

the Manhattan Bridge 

Create ADA access to 

Manhattan Bridge from 

Manhattan Bridge Plaza 

New Flatbush Ave 

Extension crosswalk along 

south edge of Nassau St 

Improve Gold St 

streetscape 


WXY 79

7 Trinity Park — Stakeholder Comments 

Improve pedestrian 

experience 

surrounding park 

Create safer environments 

through improved lighting 

Activate park with events 

and spaces for gathering; 

picnic tables, BBQ area 


WXY 80

7 Trinity Park — Vision Concept 


WXY 81

7 Trinity Park — Vision Concept Explained 

New lighting 

improves park 

safety at night 

New park facilities 

for BBQs, picnics, 

community gathering 

Improved pedestrian 

connections around and 

through Trinity Park 


WXY 82


8 

Connecting Tillary 


WXY 83


Overview: 


Opportunity: 

Commodore Barry Park is an active park that supports many 

community activities and events. It is home to the Brooklyn Pit Bulls, 

a youth football team, and hosts Afropunk Festival, an annual music 

festival founded in Brooklyn (2005). While the eastern portion of the 

park has seen improvements in recent years, there are still needs for 

improvement within and surrounding the park that have not been met. 

South of the park, Navy Street is a key north-south corridor that connects 

community residents to parks, schools, and public transit. High fences through 

this corridor create the feeling of disconnected pedestrian pathways. Navy 

St intersects with Tillary St / Park Ave at a traffic dominated, major Brooklyn 

Queens Expressway interchange that has many difficult crossings for 

pedestrians and cyclists. This interchange presents a neighborhood challenge 

by leaving streets lined with blank ramp walls instead of active frontages for 

local amenities and community facilities. Cars are parked and stored illegally on 

the city-owned open space. 

There is an opportunity to reconfigure the ramps of this BQE interchange 

to remove the large physical barriers that further separate neighborhoods. 

Additionally, adding park lighting, improving the sports field, adding stadium 

lighting, and improving ADA access to the park are among the needed park 

improvements. In particular, there is potential to create a more usable and 

accessible park edge along Navy St. Any changes in programming that may 

come with these improvements would be discussed with the community. 


WXY 84

8 Connecting Tillary - Vision Concept 

Remove fencing, add park 

lighting & improve access 

to park spaces 

Improve sports field, add 

stadium lighting & running 

track 

Consider reconfiguring 

BQE-Tillary exit ramps to 

unlock surrounding areas 

for other uses 

Better discourage illegal 

parking on city owned land 

Create new plaza at Tillary 

St & Navy St, eliminating 

slip lanes 

Explore opportunities 

for affordable housing & 

business incubators 


WXY 85

8 Connecting Tillary — Stakeholder Comments 

Improve access 

for wheelchairs 

and seniors 

Widen sidewalks 

to improve 

safety for all 

Create new spaces 

to relax and play 


WXY 86

8 Connecting Tillary — Vision Concept 


WXY 87

8 Connecting Tillary — Vision Concept Explained 

New ramps 

enable full 

accessibility 

Dedicated bike 

lane and widened 

sidewalk improve 

safety 

Remove fences to 

create new spaces 

to relax and play 


WXY 88

8 Connecting Tillary — Stakeholder Comments 

Sidewalks are dark 

and unsafe at night 

Doubled slip lane 

with car-pedestrian 

conflicts at crosswalk 


WXY 89

8 Connecting Tillary — Vision Concept 


WXY 90

8 Connecting Tillary — Vision Concept Explained 

New street 

lighting improves 

pedestrian safety 

Quiet seating space 

near residences 

convenient for 

seniors and families 

New plaza and 

gathering spaces 

for community use 


WXY 91


9 

Park Ave Crossing 


WXY 92

9 Park Ave Crossing 

Overview: 


Opportunity: 

Park Avenue, between Navy St and Grand Ave, is a wide street that 

runs underneath the elevated Brooklyn Queens Expressway structure. 

It lines the south edge of Commodore Barry Park and the north edges 

of Ingersoll and Whitman Houses. 

St Edwards St is a small local street that intersects Park Ave. St Edwards St’s 

north portion is limited to emergency vehicles, service vehicles and school 

buses serving PS 067; it is a popular pedestrian route that connects both 

Ingersoll and Whitman to Commodore Barry Park. This connection, however, 

is not fully realized as the nearest crossings are Navy St and N Portland Ave. It 

is typical to see families and young children crossing Park Ave here completely 

unprotected. 

Improve the pedestrian experience by implementing pedestrian safety 

measures and address the clear need in this area for improved lighting and 

street furniture, as identified by the community. 


WXY 93

9 Park Ave Crossing - Vision Concept 

New Park Ave crosswalk 

at St Edwards, connecting 

Ingersoll & Whitman 

Houses to Commodore 

Barry Park 

New seating, lighting & 

planting along St Edwards 

New outdoor WiFi & 

charging stations 


WXY 94

9 Park Ave Crossing — Stakeholder Comments 


under the bridge 

and at bus stops 

Stadium lighting 

for playing field at 

Commodore Barry Park 

Remove fences and 

improve/add crosswalks 

along Park Ave 


WXY 95

9 Park Ave Crossing — Vision Concept 


WXY 96

9 Park Ave Crossing — Vision Concept Explained 

Stadium lighting 

and sports field 

improvements at CBP 

New lighting 

and event space 

under BQE 

New crosswalks 

along Park Ave 

Streetscape 

improvements; 

new benches and 

street lighting 


WXY 97


10 

Reconnecting 

Neighborhoods 


WXY 98

10 Reconnecting Neighborhoods 

Overview: 


Opportunity: 

Downtown Brooklyn and surrounding neighborhoods currently lack 

connections to the waterfront and to each other. Discontinuous street 

fabric, poor-quality streetscapes and limited park access are key 

challenges in the area today. 

The BQE’s ramps and interchanges separate neighborhoods and limit access 

to park space. The Manhattan Bridge divides surrounding areas east-west, 

particularly at Nassau St where there are currently two exit-ramps one block 

apart. Streets with wide roadbeds, narrow sidewalks and a lack of amenities and 

services also limit neighborhood connectivity. Fences and limited ADA access is 

a challenge for certain park spaces. 

The larger vision to reconnect neighborhoods aims to improve connections 

between parks and the neighborhoods they serve. This recommendation 

also highlights the opportunity to unlock large areas of publicly-owned, 

currently inaccessible land through the reconfiguration of BQE and Manhattan 

Bridge ramps. Throughout the Strand, there are opportunities to widen 

sidewalks to promote pedestrian activity and to enhance bike networks. The 

current insufficiency of local businesses, such as grocers and laundromats, 

and affordable housing – gaps identified by the community – are all being 

considered as potential economic opportunities along streets like Sands St, 

Navy St, and Tillary St. 


WXY 99

Existing Fenced Open Spaces 

Many parks and open spaces are 

surrounded by fences that disconnect 

them from the neighborhoods they 

serve. Comments received during 

workshops and walkthroughs 

repeatedly suggested exploring 

opportunities to remove or modify 

fences in the Brooklyn Strand area. 

Existing High Barriers 

Existing Low Barriers 

Park Fences 

NYCHA Fences 


WXY 100

Traffic Studies — Trinity Park 

Consider opportunities 

to reconfigure BQE- 

Manhattan Bridge 

interchange to unlock 

more usable Trinity Park 

space, creating areas for 

BBQ, picnic & public art 

Improve access to 

Manhattan Bridge from 

Manhattan Bridge Plaza 

Conceptual traffic recommendations 

developed with SSE. 

Further study is required. 


WXY 101

Traffic Studies — Connecting Tillary 

Remove fencing, add park 

lighting & improve access 

to park spaces 

Consider reconfiguring 

BQE-Tillary exit ramps to 

unlock surrounding areas 

for other uses 

Create new plaza at Tillary 

St & Navy St 

Conceptual traffic recommendations 

developed with SSE. 

Further study is required. 


WXY 102

Traffic Studies — Opportunity for Bike Network Improvements 

Reconstruction of Tillary Street Area 

A NYC DOT streetscape 

reconstruction plan that will improve 

safety through traffic calming and 

enhance the pedestrian and bicycle 

experience along Tillary St and 

Adams St. 

Existing Bike Paths 

Existing Dedicated Bike Lanes 

Existing Bike Friendly Roads 

Proposed Bike Lanes 


WXY 103

Economic Opportunities — What We’ve Heard 

More Affordable 

Housing 

More Local 

Businesses like 

Laundromats, 

Grocers, & 

Restaurants 

More Athletics & 

Community Facilities 


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Ambient Noise Analysis 

ARUP Engineering provided noise 

analysis throughout the Strand. 

Potentially harmful noise levels 

occur under the Manhattan Bridge 

at Jay and Sands St. 

Possible noise dampening 

solutions include buffering open 

spaces from infrastructure with 

strategic landscaping, open space 

enclosures, and buildings. 

. 

90 

80 

75 

70 

65 

60 


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11 

Arts & Innovation 


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11 Arts & Innovation 

Overview: 


Opportunity: 

Innovative art can be a powerful tool in community based urban 

design. Part of the Brooklyn Strand Action Plan is to bolsters largescale 

concept vision with an actionable arts initiative. 

There are a number of recent public art initiatives in and around Downtown 

Brooklyn Today, including Hank Willis Thomas’ ‘Truth Booth’, Steve Powers’ 

‘Love Letter to Brooklyn’ and Jeppe Hein’s ‘Please Touch the Art’. 

SUPERFLEX, a Danish artists’ group, specializing in community-based, urban 

arts initiatives, is working closely with local communities to develop art 

proposals for several Strand sites called ‘The Streets are Lava’. ‘The Streets 

are Lava’ is a short term, large-scale public art installation plan meant to better 

connect Downtown Brooklyn neighborhoods for local communities, to animate 

and provide better access to underused public spaces and to make visible the 

potential of the Brooklyn Strand to a larger audience. Improved access will 

be created through a system of connectors or ‘lava’ (bridge, walkways, street 

crossings, etc.). SUPERFLEX is actively involved in the Strand community 

outreach effort; as such, any programming associated to ‘The Streets are Lava’ 

will be drawn directly from community feedback and local interest groups. 


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Brooklyn Public Art Precedents 

Truth Booth 

Hank Willis Thomas 

Love Letter to Brooklyn 

Steve Powers 

Please Touch the Art 

Jeppe Hein 


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SUPERFLEX is a Danish artists’ group, 

specializing in community-based, urban 

arts initiatives. 

The Strand + SUPERFLEX 

SUPERFLEX is working closely with 

local communities to develop art 

proposals for several Strand sites called 

‘The Streets are Lava’. 

Brooklyn Strand Walkthroughs 

Superkilen, Copenhagen, Denmark 

SUPERFLEX 


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The Strand + SUPERFLEX — The Streets are Lava 

The Brooklyn Volcano (a.k.a the Streets 

are Lava) erupts to create new paths, 

enable new perspectives, and improve 

connectivity throughout the Brooklyn 

Strand. 

Orange and black (hot and cold) lava 

establishes a visual connection between 

new areas within the Strand. 

The Lava’s form and programming will 

be inspired by community users. 

We want to move high, low, through — 

we want to move freely. 

BROOKLYN STRAND x SUPERFLEX 

BROOKLYN STRAND x SUPERFLEX APS 

2016.0 

BROOKLYN STRAND x SUPERFLEX APS 

201 

APS 


BROOKLYN STRAND x SUPERFLEX 2016.03.08 4 

APS 

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IV 

Summary of 



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10 Reconnecting 

Neighborhoods 





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#brooklynstrand 

brooklynstrand@wxystudio.com

Brooklyn Strand

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