Montague BID is behind a pilot program to turn Montague Street into a pedestrian plaza on Sundays this July. The project, named Summer Space, will create a “temporary environment for people watching and relaxation”. There will be a community meeting this Thursday (6/12) at 9:30am in the Parish Hall at St. Ann’s Church [157 Montague Street] to discuss the plan. Montague Street Business Improvement District Executive Director Chelsea Mauldin will be on hand with members of the NYC DOT to present and take questions from Brooklyn Heights residents.
Great idea…as long as the landlords on the street don’t try to charge a “relaxation entitlement” fee. The BID should try to update the clip art in the rendering a a tad…kinda looks like the murals in the Clark Street subway.
Only if there is a stage featuring hillbilly music!
Great idea, but too bad there is absolutely nothing to do on Montague unless eating crappy take out food is your idea of fun. Better off on Smith or Court or someplace in Dumbo where there are actually some businesses worth frequenting.
Reclaiming streets for pedestrians (and cyclists) is a wonderful, progressive idea that I hope we will be seeing more of in the future.
I love it!
Good idea. Maybe it will keep the loud dumptrucks off the street on Sunday nights!
Very cool idea, but echoing what JGM said, there just isn’t anything worth doing on Montague. I fear this will just turn Montague Street into a playground though. People that are too lazy to walk to Cadman Plaza.
Good idea. They should also do it during the week and eliminate traffic at the Court Street intersection as well. Of course that will never happen. I don’t understand the comment that there is nothing to do on Montague Street. What do you want a circus? Dance Halls? Casinos? Isn’t a stroll car free from Court Street to the Promenade enough?
I love this idea – so cool!
@ Phil:
Uh, how about a bar? Like we’ve all been wanting for awhile now. Something cool like Zombie Hut or Camp on Smith St. An outdoor restaurant like Gowanus Yacht Club or Trout. That would be on the right track.
This is great. Now if we could just get Key Food to go out of business so a real grocery store with food that’s not expired, staff that isnt rude, doesnt smell like pesticide, and maybe even actual sale prices every now and then, we’d be set. Today they wouldnt let anyone open the doors to the ice cream…so sad.
I agree with Phil – Montague needs a new bar. Probably not a bar like the Zombie Hut (too young/divey) or Trout (no outdoor space avail on Monty) but something like Black Mountain or Heche en Dumbo but with a larger bar. Although the wine bar on Henry is an improvement, it seems like it was done on the cheap and there really is nothing unique about the place.
Just so everyone is keenly aware of Montague St.’s aversion to quality, the square ft prices are astronomical. This is less a barrier than a blockade to any real young restauranteur that could provide a real product instead of the dismal displays of crap that is Montague St. Maybe the BID should consider a mediation between the bloated landlord’s bellies and the gastronomical needs of the community. This is ploy to bag more retail for the block and kick out more mom and pops.
I have heard many times that the rents are sky-high on Montague such that only national chains can pay those prices….but how then does a place like Latern or any of the other Mom & Pop restaurants or small shops afford the rents? Do they own the buildings? Very long low rate leases? Still a bit of a mystery given all of the economic development that has gone on all over Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Its quite simple JGM: just charge 6 bucks for 4 dumplings costing wholesale of at most 7 cents a piece and viola! Lantern can pay the rent!
I went there once 2 years ago (ish), saw the prices, and have never been back. It tasted exactly like Lichee Nut at 3 times the price.
So do people not go to Latern (or other Monty businesses) because it is too expensive or because the business itself offers poor service, boring decor, unappetizing food, etc.??? My thought is that in most cases it is not the pricing that dooms most of the restaurants, but poor service, bad food, etc. that ruins the overall dining experience. Although the food may not be that much different between Lichee and Lantern, they seem to be going after different mkts…one successfully and the other not so much.