Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, with design firms Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and WXY architecture + urban design (WXY), has developed a new vision and roadmap to transform the public realm of Downtown Brooklyn by reclaiming its streets for greater pedestrian use and creating attractive, accessible public spaces that prioritize people and the environment.

DBP’s plan puts forth a series of transformative measures that will take Downtown Brooklyn from a traditional central business district geared to car-oriented uses, to a citywide leader in designing a downtown for people.

Since its 2004 rezoning, Downtown Brooklyn has grown to become a vital mixed-use neighborhood, with significant increases in residential population, new businesses, and jobs. The current streetscape does not meet the needs of its primary users — pedestrians, cyclists, and mass transit riders.

How can we tackle existing challenges:

lack of green space
multi-modal conflict and vehicular congestion
narrow and substandard sidewalks
placard parking abuse
disorienting street grids
inconsistent streetscape + identity

and prepare the district for future growth?

The Plan focuses on the streets between Willoughby and Schermerhorn Streets north and south of the Fulton Mall, mapping a core network of shared streets, new public spaces, and increased biodiversity - with the goals of making Downtown Brooklyn a signature destination and a more livable neighborhood for all.