Take the Survey: DOT’s Brooklyn Heights Public Realm Community Planning

By on September 3, 2023 10:46 pm in 11201, Brooklyn Heights, Open Streets

From the New York City Department of Transportation:

NYC DOT is collecting community feedback and ideas to improve the public realm for pedestrians and cyclists in Brooklyn Heights, from Clark Street to State Street, and Furman Street to Court Street.

This survey also asks questions about active Open Streets in Brooklyn Heights:

  • Montague St. Open Street, from Pierrepont Pl. to Clinton St.
  • Joralemon St. Open Street, from Furman St. to Hicks St.

As well as formerly active Open Streets:

  • Remsen St. Open Street, from Henry St. to Clinton St.
  • Aitken Pl. Open Street, Sidney Pl. to Clinton St.More information, such as upcoming programming events, for the Montague St. Open Street can be found on the Montague St. Business Improvement District’s website. General information about the Open Streets program can be found on the NYC DOT website.

Any feedback or ideas shared will be kept confidential and only be used to inform future project development. If you have any questions or concerns, please email openstreets@dot.nyc.gov.

Take the survey at this link.

 

Share this Story:

,

  • Andrew Porter

    Last year, I believe, they tried to make Willow Street part of Open Streets, which was a really bad idea, as it meant that this major route into the heights—from the BB off-ramp onto Middagh, then left onto Willow—was blocked.

    Drivers just moved the barricades and ignored them.

    I wonder whose brilliant idea it was to make a narrow residential street part of OS, because it Did Not Work.

  • William Gilbert

    Yet again, the North Heights is ignored. Traffic and streets, bikes etc do not seem to matter north of Montague in this case. Whether it is improved corner curve cuts or historic lighting nothing seems to go north of Pierrepont St or Clark St. can you find an historic light fixture north of Pierrepont St. or find a newly finished curb cut north of Clark. You won’t. We are the Step Children of the Heights. Why is this the case?

  • Lara Birnback

    The Willow Street Open Street happened during the pandemic lockdown in spring/summer 2020. It was proposed to DOT by some residents on Willow Street, and was one of the first Open Streets the city experimented with as a way to allow people more freedom of movement and outdoor play space during the height of the pandemic. The BHA surveyed Willow Street residents at the time, and the opinion was (not surprisingly) mixed – some people really enjoyed it and others did not.

  • Lara Birnback

    Bringing historic lighting to the entire Brooklyn Heights Historic District remains a goal for the BHA and many residents. Unfortunately we have not been able to make progress in the way that we’d like in spite of continued advocacy and conversations with DOT. Sadly, the city has been exceedingly slow to release the necessary RFP for lighting contractors to bid on this work and get a new phase of lighting implementation happening. But it’s not for lack of trying! I am hopeful we may see some progress in 2024.

  • Nomcebo Manzini

    Surely, this a situation where our Councilman’s office can make some headway. We both know that the BHA is nowhere better/stronger than on these “preservation” issues. The BHA could – and should – DRAFT the RFP involved. It’s not exactly “garden-variety,” and many City Depts NEVER had adequate staffing to handle even that which is (garden variety), so common sense you take away their excuse – not engage in a “not our fault” exercise.

  • Cranberry Beret

    If you think it’s “reality-based” that the BHA has some weird, irrational desire to favor certain blocks in our little neighborhood over others — and not just a wacky conspiracy theory on a blog — then I have a bridge to sell you

  • Nomcebo Manzini

    C’mon…. Don’t you think there are dramatically more BHA members on Pierrepont than on Poplar. I get it how “member service” would skew things (sans conspiracies), but that doesn’t mean that Mr. Gilbert & I are making it up.

  • Andrew Porter

    Are you a member—which might entitle you to state your opinion—or just someone who can’t be bothered to join, or can’t afford the few dollars it costs?

    I am a member, have been since the 1980s.

  • Andrew Porter

    Wrong, and I can prove it:

    This from a BHA mailer I received a day ago:

    Saturday Sept 9th, 9AM – 12PM. Hillside Dog Park Clean Up

    Sunday, Oct 1st, 10AM – 2PM. Compost Giveaway at the Brooklyn War Memorial, 195 Cadman Plaza West. Reserve your bags here

    Sunday, Oct 22nd, 10AM – 1PM. Daffodil Planting at Cadman Park. You can sign up by emailing the Cadman Park Conservancy.

    Saturday, Nov 18th, 10AM – 12PM. Help Care for the Trees of Brooklyn Heights with CM Restler and Big Reuse. Sign up here

  • Lara Birnback

    Took me a while to get back to this thread. The idea that the BHA favors one part of the Heights over another, or only cares about folks who own expensive real estate, is a shibboleth best retired at this point. I could share lots of examples to disprove that notion, but we don’t have enough room here. Please know that when someone calls the BHA for help – no one asks them where they live or if they are a member before we try to help. We have over 1,000 members from all parts of the neighborhood and we try our best to serve the community as a whole, often partnering with other local groups and individuals. That said, there’s always room to improve and we admittedly can’t always solve as many problems as we might like!

  • nomcebo manzini

    You’ve opened my mind. I hope you WILL consider the possibility that there still is a perception that the North Heights may get less BHA “focus” than, say, the Central Heights – for whatever reason. Maybe, it was more true in the past.

    I’d love to see a map of “tree pits” – one of the many worthy projects BHA has taken on. I see a great many more South of Montague than North, but I’ll admit that’s unscientific – and it could be that the Southerners simply have it more together.

    Just 2 questions, if I may:
    1) Does the BHA consider Pierhouse & the other residential building in BBP part of Brooklyn Heights?
    2) Has the BHA ever tried to do anything about the 2 or 3 worst eyesores (basically, either abandoned or uninhabited buildings) in Brooklyn Heights?

    Maybe, I over-estimate the BHA’s resources & ability to reach electeds & others who can make things happen locally, but I’ve tried reaching our Councilman directly with no success.