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Public Workshop For Future Development Of Historic Times Plaza To Be Held Wednesday, January 27

Donny Levit

Donny Levit

— 3 min read
Public Workshop For Future Development Of Historic Times Plaza To Be Held Wednesday, January 27
Times Plaza
Courtesy of DOT

Did you know that small triangle near Barclays and the Atlantic Avenue station had so much history behind it?

In addition to history, safety and improvement of public space will be important topics of discussion on Wednesday, January 27, when a public workshop will be held at the YWCA Brooklyn, 30 3rd Avenue (between State Street and Atlantic Avenue).

The event will include a presentation of the Department of Transportation streetscape improvement program as well as a chance for residents to comment.

The primary goals for the workshop include:

  • Ways to improve public space
  • Plans to create safer streets
  • New permanent design elements
  • Next steps and project timeline

Many civic groups, community members, and neighbors are concerned about the future of this triangle bounded by Atlantic, Flatbush, and 4th Avenues.

Because the plaza borders Boerum Hill, Fort Greene, and Park Slope, community engagement is significant.

Among them, Forth on Fourth Avenue (FOFA), and advocacy group that’s part of the Park Slope Civic Council, has been actively engaged for sometime in the redevelopment of Times Plaza.

“FOFA is pleased that this long awaited meeting (close to four years), will actually be taking place,” says S.J. Avery, co-chair of FOFA. “[We] look forward to the opportunity for community input into this very important space, which currently is both dangerous and uninviting.”

Times Plaza map
Courtesy of DOT

Sandy Balboza of the Atlantic Avenue Betterment Association says that she hopes the redevelopment will allow the plaza to be “a stronger connection to the neighborhood.” Balboza is also on the board for the Atlantic Avenue Business Improvement District, and has been involved in potential plans to update the plaza since the late 1990s.

Plans were also submitted by the DOT in 2012, but development did not take place then.

“When they started to renovate the LIRR, we wanted the Control House to be an entrance to the subway,” says Balboza. “Instead, it became a light shaft and ventilation tunnel.”

With traffic mitigation funding coming from Atlantic Yards/Barclays Center/Pacific Park developer Forest City Ratner, there could be more fiscal support and community momentum to move the project forward.

And safety is also great concern to Balboza. “The asphalt looks still like the street and confuses drivers,” she says.

times plaza
Photo via via Google Maps

History also plays a significant role. Times Plaza was named after the offices once held by the Brooklyn Daily Times — where Walt Whitman was once a reporter. (After a series of buyouts and name changes, the BDT was bought by the Brooklyn Eagle in 1937).

In addition, the Control House is on the Register of Historic Places.

The DOT has not released design plans and renderings, although they plan to show them at the workshop on Wednesday.

What: Public Workshop for redesign of Times Plaza
Who: Open to the public
When: Wednesday, January 27 at 6:30pm
Where: YWCA Brooklyn, 30 3rd Avenue (between State Street and Atlantic Avenue)

Historical source: An Architectural Guidebook to Brooklyn by Francis Morrone, James Iska.

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