The Park Slope Civic Council (PSCC), one of the oldest civic associations in Brooklyn, is tackling the future of Fourth Avenue at its next forum, which will be held on March 4th. Certainly, the up-zoning of the avenue in 2003 did not result in"a grand boulevard of the 21st Century," as Borough President Marty Markowitz predicted. Instead, new construction is more reminiscent of East German Communist-era architecture than the Champs-Élysées.
From PSCC:
A Thoroughfare of Uncertain Direction:
What Route Next for 4th Avenue?
What Route Next for 4th Avenue?
Challenges and Opportunities Along Rapidly Changing Fourth Avenue Will Be Focus of Next Park Slope Civic Council ForumThe Fourth Avenue community in Brooklyn is changing, with new construction, more people, and a growing need for better services. These changes will be among the issues to be discussed at the Park Slope Civic Council's upcoming annual public forum, titled THE FUTURE OF FOURTH AVENUE.
The forum, which is open to the public, will be held on:
Thursday, March 4, 7:00 P.M. at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, on the corner of Fourth Avenue and Ninth Street.
A panel of distinguished experts will talk to the community about Fourth Avenue – what has been happening, what challenges we face, and the opportunities we have to create a great community here. These authorities will make insightful presentations, discuss the issues, and give thoughtful responses to questions. P
Panelists include: Craig Hammerman, District Manager, Brooklyn Community Board Six; Ethan Kent, Vice President, Project for Public Spaces; Ryan Lynch, Senior Planner, Tri-State Transportation Campaign; David Sweeny, Developer; and Elizabeth Yeampierre, Executive Director, UPROSE.
The Park Slope Civic Council has long been working hard to improve Fourth Avenue. Among the projects it has advocated for are:
• Eliminate the left turn lane from northbound Fourth Avenue to Union Street. The Civic Council, with the enthusiastic support of Assemblywoman Joan Millman, got the NYCDOT to fill in this left turn lane to create a pedestrian refuge, providing safety for those crossing this busy intersection, to and from the Union Street R train station;
• Include a public garden in the vacant lot at Fourth Avenue and Sackett Street (an access point to the City's Third Water Tunnel); • Fund tree plantings on Fourth Avenue;
• Reopen the closed entrance to the Fourth Avenue F subway station on the east side of Fourth Avenue (between Ninth and Tenth Streets); and
• Reopen the retail spaces adjacent the Fourth Avenue F subway station. This is a forum for ALL who are concerned about the future of the Fourth Avenue corridor, and your attendance and input are needed to build a better Fourth Avenue. You are welcome to participate even if you don't live or work in Park Slope.
For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking
.JPG)
3 comments:
I think it's a little late to close the barn door. Remember when the people supporting this were saying 4th Ave. would be the next Park Avenue? Instead we get Eastern bloc architecture and a No Tell Motel on every corner.
Should be mentioned that the current head of Park Slope's Civic Council is a salesman with one of the area's commercial realtors. And sits on Community Board 6's RE/land use committee..?
http://www.masseyknakal.com/people/KFreeman
Until NYC provides clear leadership, it will be left for realtors/developers (who support local officials, elected and appointed) -- to do what they do, benefiting from zoning... in the short-term. And of course, the carousel of the game played by politicians -- that move their careers without ever having to answer for what goes on it their district, and spawn new politicians that try to own new versions of saying nothing, doing nothing, but wrapping it in a sincerity all their own.
We've heard officials talk about street-scapes, boulevards and design in keeping with community needs, etc. etc. -- which serves to get heads nodding in meetings such as these. And yet? we see a hodge-podge of whatever individual builders can get away with... and a line-up of officials ready to blame someone else, or something in the past.
Local officials will 'finesse' any meetings they attend -- and say what should be done, and what 'they'll fight for' (over and over). They'll point fingers at Developers, which is like blaming a horse for where it takes your cart. The end is that the joke will always be on us, until we all demand better.
Start by not even allowing any elected officials to even speak.
And if we review the comments our current Public Advocate made while serving as our city councilman, the goal has been to build more of what is going up on 4th Ave along both bank of the Gowanus Canal.
It leaves anyone with common sense wondering if our local elected officials can have a coherent idea on how to build decent communities--but it these guys that have the final say on our zoning!
Post a Comment