Rethinking Grand Army Plaza

RETHINKING GRAND ARMY PLAZA
Placemaking Workshop Summary
March 2007

COMMUNITY WORKSHOP
MARCH 10, 2007
BROOKLYN PUBLIC LIBRARY
GRAND ARMY PLAZA
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Community Planning Workshop
March 10, 2007
Brooklyn Public Library
Grand Army Plaza
9:00 am - 12:00 pm

Workshop Hosted by: Grand Army Plaza Coalition (GAPco)
Workshop Facilitated by: Project for Public Spaces

Special Thanks to:
Heart of Brooklyn
Prospect Park Alliance
Park Slope Civic Council
Gowanus Community Stakeholder Group
StreetFilms
NYC Street Renaissance

For more information on Grand Army Plaza please visit:
http://www.grandarmyplaza.org/

2 RETHINKING GRAND ARMY PLAZA

RETHINKING GRAND ARMY PLAZA

TABLE OF CONTENTS
PLACEMAKING WORKSHOP PROCESS SUMMARY 5
INTRODUCTION 7
QUALITIES OF A GREAT PUBLIC SPACE 9
VISION 11
KEY ISSUES 13
OVERALL RECOMMENDATIONS 15
PLACEGAME PARTICIPANTS 17
PLACEGAME SITES AND RESULTS 19

RETHINKING GRAND ARMY PLAZA 3

COMMUNITY WORKSHOP
PROCESS SUMMARY
March 10, 2007

GAPco and Project for Public Spaces presents
1 the goals of the community Placemaking work-
shop and describes the day’s events.

Workshop participants break into groups and
2 go out to Grand Army Plaza to perform the
Place Performance Evaluation at 7 different
locations.

Participants return to discuss the Place Game,
3 draw recommendations and summarize their
groups impressions of:
• What they like best about Grand Army
Plaza
• Short term improvements
• Long term vision
• Potential partners

Each group reports back to all workshop par-
4 ticipants, describing issues and opportunities
they identiﬁed for Grand Army Plaza.


PPS’ Place Diagram.


INTRODUCTION
Grand Army Plaza Coalition (GAPco) was formed successful public spaces involve more than just design.
by a group of committed local residents in March of Rather, improvements should grow out of a public
2006 to focus on ways to improve Grand Army Plaza involvement process that defines and responds to
and connect the surrounding neighborhoods with community conditions and needs from the outset.
what could potentially be one of the most important Our experience has shown that this is one of the
public spaces in the borough of Brooklyn. Since its most critical factors in achieving a public space that is
founding, GAPco has undertaken a number of activi- truly sensitive to its context.
ties to better understand how the plaza functions,
including: a walk-through with interested community Placemaking, as PPS approaches it, begins with a
members to more closely observe the area; hosted thorough understanding of the dynamics, desires, and
the Danish architect Jan Gehl to conduct a design conditions within a community. It involves looking at,
study and present design alternatives for the plaza; listening to, and asking questions of the people in that
met with the Department of Transportation (DOT) to community about both their problems and aspira-
propose desired recommendations to the plaza; initi- tions. We work with them to create a vision around
ated a clean-up effort for the plaza; and now, hosted a the places they view as important to community life
community planning workshop. and to their daily experience; we help them imple-
ment their ideas beginning with short term, often
Project for Public Spaces, Inc. (PPS), a New York- experimental improvements.
based non-profit that has worked on the design and
management of public spaces around the world, is Based on our work in Placemaking, we have developed
working with GAPco to help rethink the plaza. PPS’ the Place Diagram: What Makes a Great Place? (shown
Placemaking process allows diverse constituencies to at left). This diagram outlines the major attributes
identify how a public space can be reshaped to make of well-functioning places, along with the intangible
it a welcome, well-functioning and attractive place for qualities that people use to positively describe them,
people. In the case of Grand Army Plaza, this includes and the elements that can be used to measure their
local residents, cultural institutions which surround success. The major attributes outlined on the diagram
the plaza, elected officials, neighbourhood and advo- are sociability, uses and activities, access and linkages,
cacy groups, and nearby business owners. and comfort and image. We have found this tool to be
particularly useful in helping communities discuss the
Over the past 32 years Project for Public Spaces issues of importance to them. They also reflect issues
has evaluated more than 2,000 public spaces, and that consistently surface in the communities where
informally investigated tens of thousands more. Our we have worked.
approach to Placemaking is based on the idea that


Trafﬁc, transit and the pedestrian: the area is well connected to other places.

Identity and image: the area highlights its history and has district-related
signage.

The inner and the outer park: there are active edge uses, gateways and
entrances, and the area is visible from a distance.

Amenities: the area attracts a variety of users, there are comfortable places
to sit, and the area serves as a source of local and regional civic pride.

QUALITIES OF A GREAT PUBLIC SQUARE
Whether they are parks, plazas, public squares, streets, · Flexibility in Design
civic institutions, sidewalks or the myriad of other
Grand Army Plaza should support overlapping
outdoor and indoor spaces, improving or creating
and changing uses, form should support function,
successful public spaces all have, to varying degrees,
experimentation, and small-scale activities.
the following qualities:
· Amenities and Image
· Trafﬁc Transit and the Pedestrian
Grand Army Plaza should have a variety of com-
Grand Army Plaza should be visually and function- fortable places to sit and types of seating; attract
ally connected to surrounding destinations and and be comfortable for a range of ages and users;
areas, by a range of transportation options. There and be a source of local and regional pride.
should be a balance of modes; private and com-
mercial vehicles should not dominate.
· Management: Central to the Solution
Management presence should be felt through se-
· The Inner and Outer Park
curity maintenance, knowledgeable and accessible
Grand Army Plaza should have active edge uses, staff, ongoing and visible improvement efforts.
gateways and entrances, and focal points to draw
visitors in and through the space to and from a
range of activities. · Seasonal Strategies
Programming should be year-round.
· Attractions and Destinations
Grand Army Plaza should have numerous choices · Diverse funding sources
of things to do, and opportunities should be
Grand Army Plaza should not rely on only one
clustered around destinations. Grand Army Plaza
source of funding. Partner with local institutions
should be part of/help catalyze/ a district with
and other stakeholders to foster stewardship of
10+ distinct places, each with 10+ things to do in
the area.
them.

· Reach out like an Octopus
· Identity and Information
The activity at Grand Army Plaza should better
Grand Army Plaza should showcase local assets,
serve and connect to the surrounding neighbor-
culture and civic identity.
hoods. Prospect Park, Flatbush Avenue,Vanderbilt
Avenue, Union Street, Prospect Park West, Eastern
Parkway, St. John’s Place and Vanderbilt Avenue
should all feel like a part of this larger district.


VISION
(DRAFT FOR DISCUSSION) GET CONNECTED
• Improve the links, physically and programmatically,
Grand Army Plaza, as one of Brooklyn’s most signiﬁ-
between the plaza with the surrounding neighbor-
cant destinations, should draw on and highlight the
hoods, institutions, commercial areas, and Prospect
cultural, institutional, neighborhood, historical and
Park
economic assets of the surrounding neighborhoods.

The experience of the plaza should be broadened by
linking it with its surroundings and engaging neighbor-
hood institutions and communities as a part of the
process of furthering the vision. Presented below is
the start of a vision that could be evolved with fur-
ther input from local stakeholders.

MAKE IT A HEALTHY HEART
• Already known as “the heart of Brooklyn”, work
to make the heart more healthy—increase people
presence and activity, reduce the noise and pollu-
Make Grand Army Plaza a comfortable and easy place to get to and from.
tion from automobile trafﬁc
• Increase the amount and variety of activities that PUT PEOPLE IN THE PLAZA
happen on the plaza
• Reduce the amount of surface area dedicated to
• Celebrate the area’s present and past at Grand automobiles and create more space for people
Army Plaza
• Improve public safety

Work to create a plaza that draws people to it and creates lasting memories--
a place people will want to return.

Plan for the place we want Grand Army Plaza to become.


KEY ISSUES
The following are key issues identified by workshop
participants. CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL TIE-INS
Within a few blocks’ walk of Grand Army Plaza are
PEDESTRIAN WAYFINDING, ORIENTATION
the Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn Museum, Brook-
AND ACCESS lyn Botanic Garden, the Prospect Park Zoo, count-
less shops, restaurants and homes, and the renowned
Participants continually highlighted the lack of connec-
Prospect Park. Though many of Brooklyn’s greatest
tivity between the various parts of Grand Army Plaza,
cultural institutions are located within minutes of the
specifically lack of neighborhood connections and the
plaza, there is little evidence of the physical and pro-
disconnect between Prospect Park and the fountain/
grammatic connections they have to this area.
arch plaza. Although there is good transit access at the
plaza, with both subway and bus connections, there
There are many statues and monuments to the Civil
was not enough supporting wayfinding information to
War and various leaders with connections to Brook-
give people clear direction of where to go, or infor-
lyn’s past, yet it was felt that some statues were
mation as to why they may want to explore the area
being dishonored by the lack of care shown from
beyond their direct purpose of being there.
them through maintenance, etc. Furthermore, there
are portions of Brooklyn’s history which people felt
Several issues relating to wayfinding/access were:
deserved to be more appropriately highlighted in the
• Unclear sight lines to the fountain and arch from
plaza, such as a statue or memorial commemorating
the neighborhood streets
African American contributions to the Civil War.
• Lack of informational and directional signage
about institutions and destinations in and around
ROAD SPACE VS. PUBLIC SPACE
the Plaza.
People thought there was too much space dedicated
• Inability to clearly and quickly get from one area
to cars, as proven by the amount of asphalt in the
of the plaza to another
plaza. “Unsafe”, “dangerous”, “traffic-dominated”, and
• Isolation of the arch and fountain area by traffic “unused” were all words commonly used to describe
the area. All the asphalt separated various areas, and
• Dangerous intersections to navigate on foot
made crossing various areas difficult, especially difficult
was the access to the central arch and fountain area.
Paving and other treatments to connect current pub-
PUBLIC AMENITIES
lic spaces, such as the area in front of the park en-
Participants in all the areas evaluated commented on trance where the greenmarket operates, to the arch
the lack of basic amenities that would better serve and central fountain, were encouraged.
the pedestrian, including seating options, drinking
fountains, bathrooms, better signage, safer gather-
MANAGEMENT AND PROGRAMMING
ing spaces, and small kiosks or coffee carts near the
transportation connections and the green market. The In order to reach its potential, the entire plaza needs
noise from the traffic was also noted as something to be managed and activated in such a way to put the
that influenced people’s perception of the comfort of needs of people, transportation, culture and nature in
the area. a more harmonious balance. People wanted to build


off the success of programming from this past winter gested opening up the fences and making pedestrian
with the blue lights at the plaza and host other events paths through them to the center plaza. Installing a
to draw people to the area. Expanding the green mar- dog run or children’s play area were other sugges-
ket presence, both physically and in terms of operat- tions. The lack of maintenance and upkeep of the
ing days, was also desired. berm and sidewalk areas was consistently highlighted.
Involving co-op boards in the management and pro-
The berms and the sidewalks along them were high- gramming of the berms, and the sidewalks along
lighted for increased management. They were the Plaza Street, was recommended by various groups.
source of much debate in terms of the beneﬁt they A greater sense of ownership could be achieved by
caused in reduced noise trafﬁc on Plaza Streets East including a small portion of their maintenance fee for
and West versus the physical boundary the create in berm/sidewalk upkeep.
terms of access to the arch and fountain. People sug-


OVERALL RECOMMENDATIONS
Several big ideas came out of the workshop. The fol- 6. Transfer asphalt to more pedestrian-friend-
lowing recommendations resulted from the Placemak- ly spaces. Ideas included extending the paving
ing workshop, and are presented through the lens of surface of entrance of the park across to the arch
PPS’ experience in evaluating and improving public and fountain area and closing the right-hand turn
spaces in general. ramp from traffic going south in the plaza making
aright-hand turn onto Union Street. This would
1. Conduct short-term improvements. Take indicate to cars they are in a special place and
the most feasible suggestions from the workshop would need to drive more carefully and slowly.
and start experimenting. Start showing people the
7. Connect the west berm area to the arch
future of Grand Army Plaza can start now.
and fountain by converting the west side of
2. Close the gap. Connect the arch with Prospect the inner circle from traffic lanes to a pedestrian
Park by extending the entrance plaza to the arch plaza. Traffic would be rerouted to the east side of
(using paving, etc.). the arch and fountain area.
3. Improve access to the plaza and connect it 8. Partner with local institutions. Partnering
into a broader circulation system for pedes- with local institutions to improve this area as the
trians, bicyclists, automobiles and transit users. heart of Brooklyn would not only strengthen the
Balance the user needs. Make sure bicycle lanes plaza but also the various institutions. For exam-
aren’t dumped into fast-moving traffic. ple, the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens could display
rotating horticultural displays, the library could
4. Create clear pathways to the “center”
host events in the plaza, and the zoo could part-
across the berms. Create access (visual and/or
ner with the Brooklyn Children’s Museum to host
pedestrian) through the berms in a continuation
an event oriented to children in the plaza.
of Berkeley Place, Lincoln Place, St. John’s Place,
and Butler Place. Sight lines and physical connec- 9. Continue this process. Formalize GAPco’s role
tion will increase presence and use of arch and as an advisor and manager of the public process to
fountain. keep the community visioning productive and ef-
fective. Use the March 10 Placemaking Workshop
5. Relocate the “entrance” to Prospect Park
and this document to raise funds for increased
to the north side of Grand Army Plaza. Cre-
participation and ideas to improve the heart of
ate a symbolic entrance on the north side of the
Brooklyn.
plaza that marks the beginning of Prospect Park at
Grand Army Plaza. Treat this area as a part of the
park rather than a traffic circle.


Over ﬁfty people gathered to participate in the Placemaking workshop on March 10, 2007.


PLACEGAME PARTICIPANTS
The following organizations were represented at the ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS
March 10 Placemaking Workshop.
Citizens for NYC
Brooklyn Greenway Initiative
RESIDENTS
Gowanus Community Stakeholder Group
NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission
Eastern Parkway
Project for Public Spaces
Plaza Street East
Transportation Alternatives
Plaza Street West
Prospect Heights
Park Slope BUSINESS GROUPS
North Flatbush Business Improvement District
NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS
Prospect Heights Neighborhood Development Coun-
cil
Crown Heights North Association
Dean Street Block Association
Park Slope Neighbors CIVIC LEADERS/ORGANIZATIONS
Prospect Heights Parents Association
Councilmember, 35th District
Community Board 6
CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS
Community Board 8
Letitia James, Councilmember, 35th District
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Park Slope Civic Council
Brooklyn Museum
Heart of Brooklyn OTHER
Prospect Park Alliance
North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority
Pratt Institute
StreetFilms


Aerial of Grand Army Plaza.


PLACEGAME EVALUATION SITES & RESULTS
Participants at the Placemaking Workshop evaluated
seven spaces. The comments from each group are
detailed below.

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SITE 1 EVALUATION AREA
ENTRANCE TO PROSPECT PARK,
GREEN MARKET
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SITE 1
GREEN MARKET
LIKE BEST
• Large space with great potential
• Lots of potential to green the area
• Views from this area, especially of the arch
• Proximity to the park
• Location and relationship to recreation areas
• The market
• Watching people—kids and people exercising, and the
dogs
The green market is a popular draw for the area.

ISSUES
• Roadway entrance to the park very wide; very accom-
modating to trafﬁc
• If you are using the park when cars are allowed, there
is nowhere for people to be
• The area is pretty drab
• Currently more asphalt than “greenery”
• Not a pedestrian or bicycle friendly area
• On the way out of the park, bicyclists don’t have space
• Greenmarket is very large, all asphalt, not much there
The entrance to the park is most heavily geared for automobiles.
to make it comfortable for people
• Gazebos smell like urine, they are not a good place for
sitting, hanging out
o No restrooms
• No area for bike parking: a major place for people on
bikes, locked to sign poles, etc.
• Not a good separation between greenmarket entrance
and surrounding streets
• If you are standing in area on a typical day, you don’t
feel like you are in a park
• Would like to be able to access the arch easier


• You are technically in the park, but have a long way to
go before you are in a usable “park” space
• Hard to cross the streets to get to this area

SHORT TERM IMPROVEMENTS
• Separate arch from roadway by creating a plaza that
uses a different material than the road surface
• Create a barrier between the traffic and the park; use
garbage cans and cones to keep cars out of the green-
market and park area
• Send a signal to the drivers that they are in a park: have
Extending paving, adding seating and planters all could make the
entrance plaza to Prospect Park more inviting. a separated entrance into park drive for pedestrians
(especially families with strollers)
• Add seating
• Add plants and trees
• Add more decoration—lighting, fixtures, etc.—endless
possibilities
• Have the green market operate more than once a
week
• Create places for kids to play—sculptures, not a tradi-
tional playground—a reason for families to go there
o Families would not have to enter into the more
Non-traditional play areas, such as this sculpture from Alice in Wonder-
formal park but could play right in this area
land in Central Park, could draw families to the area.

o A children’s book sculpture (relating to the library)
would be appropriate
• Improve signage for people walking through—current
ones not in convenient places
• Create a dog run
• Have a place for street performers

LONG TERM IMPROVEMENTS
• Cut back traffic lanes and remove vehicular traffic from
Prospect Park
• Create a performance area

• Install a Shake Shack like at Madison Square Park in
Manhattan
o A permanent vendor at the greenmarket site
• Extend the tiles that are currently on the walkway to
expand the plaza and create a special place
• Crosswalk improvements
o Widen the crosswalks
o Lengthen the crossing times

INTERVIEWS
Widen crosswalks and adjust light timings to allow more time for people
Like Best to cross the streets.

• Farmers market
• Social place
• It is a community meeting place
Issues
• Needs to be calmer and safer for pedestrians
• “Crossing is a nightmare!”
• No where to sit and have a cup of coffee
• Not enough benches
Improvements Cleaning the gazebos was desired; they are reported to smell.

• Clean the gazebo
• Have a coffee truck
• Add services like food and beverage vendors
• Add benches

LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS
• Castle Senior Living
• Preschoolers at Union Temple


SITE 1
GREEN MARKET

GROUP ONE’S VISION
FOR SITE 1.


EASTERN PARKWAY, LIBRARY PLAZA &

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SITE 2
PLAZA STREET EAST
LIKE BEST
• Potential is great
• Great vistas—of the park, arch, fountain, library, Eastern
Parkway, Flatbush Avenue

ISSUES
• Don’t get a sense of where you are—no signage to
connect you to the various areas
• Can’t see the connections with Eastern Parkway hill

The area has great views, and with the new library plaza coming soon,
SHORT TERM IMPROVEMENTS the potential will only increase.

• Add more/improve existing crosswalks
o Eastern Parkway median to the berm
o Create crosswalk from the berm to the arch
o Crosswalk across Flatbush: needs to be bigger and
more accessible
o Make crosswalks more identifiable from Eastern
Parkway service road to library; not very easy to see as
is
• Planters and planting near the subway vent
• Improve signage Improving the existing crosswalks was a repeated suggestion for im-
provement.

• Redesign and extend the berm south
o Widen it, more medians—make it connected with
the Eastern Parkway median widening
• Reduce traffic lanes
• Add traffic light


INTERVIEWS
Like Best
• Great space
Issues
• Lack of crosswalks
• Crossing from the market to the arch to the berm is
difﬁcult

LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS
• Neighborhood groups and tenants associations
Crossing from the arch to the berm is difﬁcult.

• Prospect Park Alliance
• Library—Friends of Central branch
o Could help with maintenance
• Heart of Brooklyn
• Brooklyn Botanic Garden
o The garden could help with plantings and landscap-
ing
• Brooklyn Museum
o Temporary artwork from the museum
• BYC
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden could become an involved partner with
Grand Army Plaza by installing plantings or landscaping.
• PPWC
• Brooklyn Children’s Museum


SITE 2
PLAZA STREET EAST

GROUP TWO’S VISION
FOR SITE 2.


PLAZA ST EAST, VANDERBILT AVE, THE
BERM, NEIGHBORHOOD CONNECTIONS

7
WITH BUTLER PLACE & ST JOHN’S PLACE

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SITE 3
PLAZA ST EAST, VANDERBILT AVE, THE BERM,
NEIGHBORHOOD CONNECTIONS WITH BUTLER
PLACE & ST JOHN’S PLACE
LIKE BEST
• It works—on the outside side of the street
• Bike lane
• Seating
• Green-ness; an oasis
• Sheltered
• Wide sidewalks
• Connection with other areas

Wide sidewalks and being sheltered from the inner circle were impor-
ISSUES tant characteristics of Plaza Street East.
• We’ve got to get people to the fountain—how do you
do it?
• Bus transit area: no shelter there—windiest corner on
the street
• People drive in the bike lane
• On the “inside” part of the circle: there is so much that
is not being used—you have benches and berm but you
have a view of Daytona 500—seems like you are at a
NASCAR event

SHORT TERM IMPROVEMENTS Creating a covered bus shelter on Vanderbilt Avenue was desired.
• Make it nicer: better maintenance, cobblestones/pavers,
garbage collections
• Cut out the grass out of the northern part of the berm
and create a semi-circle plaza extended from Plaza
Street around the corner for a new bus stop plaza on
Vanderbilt Avenue
o Evaluate the current bus shelter
• Delayed-pedestrian head-start for crossing the street
• Calm Plaza Street East
• Hatch out unused portion of the street
• More benches and planters/trees


• Create a dog run on the inside of the berm
• Install pedestrian-oriented signage
• Contextual fencing with regard to the berms

• Rethink the berm
o Create view corridors from the side streets
o Have walking paths through them
• Take ownership of the berms
Activate the berms; one suggestion was to create a dog run inside the • Create a street-level pedestrian crossing to Bailey
berm.
Fountain
• Possibly create a subway tunnel to the arch/fountain

INTERVIEWS
Issues
• It is dangerous
• Usually walk on the “outer” side (Plaza St., not the
circle)
• A lot of wasted space in this area
Improvements
Create a visual or pedestrian access through the berms to reach and
view the fountain and arch area.
• Needs a barrier of ﬂowers
• Improve garbage can maintenance

LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS
• Co-op boards to help support the maintenance and
care of the berms
• MTA New York City Transit
• Vanderbilt Avenue Merchants Association
• Flatbush Avenue business groups


SITE 3
PLAZA ST EAST, VANDERBILT AVE, THE
BERM, NEIGHBORHOOD CONNECTIONS
WITH BUTLER PLACE & ST JOHN’S PLACE

GROUP THREE’S
VISION FOR SITE 3.


VANDERBILT AVENUE, FLATBUSH/
VANDERBILT INTERSECTION

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SITE 4
LIKE BEST
• Trees
• The area is a gateway/entrance to this area
• Good transit access with bus and train connections
• Pedestrian traffic on Plaza Street
• Plaza Street seating
• Efficient traffic
• The part outside the berms

Good transit access, seating, and pedestrian traffic were the highlights
of this area.
ISSUES
• Overwhelming traffic
• Safety issues: traffic doesn’t always stop at the red light
• Area not connected to the arch
• No reason to stop and linger; people just pass right
through
• Traffic merging onto Flatbush is a problem

• Striping of Vanderbilt for pedestrian crossing An info kiosk to show directional information as well as information on
local cultural institutions and events.
• Safe berm access
• Better pedestrian signage for more attractions, ban-
ners, or anything else that attracts attention
• Berm programming with a variety of activities
• Better timing for pedestrian crossings, less lane turning
movements
• Kiosk—we may need two of them (one already exists)
• Kiosk could have a directory that brings people on
board—local organizations—residence participation in
berm design and maintenance
• Add a children’s playground


• Encourage commerce in the area
o Commercial overlay
o Push carts with coffee
o Kiosk
• Flatbush Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)
• Change the signal timing for pedestrians on Vanderbilt
corners
• Decrease lanes and turning movements
Like this coffee cart on 8th Ave, have a kiosk in Grand Army Plaza to • Create better direct routes to the “park”—arch/foun-
encourage commerce and activity.
tain
• Create sight lines from the side streets to see arch
• Underground programming in berms—Irish Hunger
Memorial
• Extend island so the trafﬁc from Flatbush Ave and Van-
derbilt Ave doesn’t collide—many accidents there
• Increase bike safety through installing a stoplight on
Plaza Street East

INTERVIEWS
Increase bike safety on Plaza Street East.
Like Best
• Transit options are good
• Close to the park
Issues
• Concern for getting stuck on trafﬁc islands
• Danger for pedestrians at Vanderbilt corner
Improvements
• More places to sit


LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS
• Prospect Park Alliance
• Parks Department
• Department of Transportation (DOT)
• Community Boards
• BIDS (North Flatbush and Vanderbilt Avenues)
o Activate space to draw customers to their busi-
nesses
• Involve local merchants
Local co-op boards can help contribute to berm maintenance and
o Fund information kiosk, directory of locations design.
o Contribute to upkeep
• Residents’ participation in berm design and mainte-
nance


SITE 4

GROUP FOUR’S
VISION FOR SITE 4.


FLATBUSH AVENUE, LINCOLN PLACE, ST
JOHN’S PLACE

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SITE 5
JOHN’S PLACE
LIKE BEST
• Potential
• Scale of the area
• Lots of trees
• Quiet area
• Great architecture
• Good transit connections and accessibility

ISSUES
The scale of the area, along with the trees and quietness were all ap-
• Greatest sensory element: the traffic noise, even on a preciated aspects of this area.
Saturday morning
• Went across the center island: ten crosswalks to get
there
• An awful lot of noise, traffic behaving in strange ways
• Traffic flow on Flatbush/St. John’s Place is a big deal
• Orientation is to the outer ring, nothing to draw peo-
ple into the circle
• Signage a problem
• Newsstand by subway is an eyesore—not open all the
time and is getting less and less business
Heavy traffic was an issue; the St. John’s/Flatbush Ave/8th Ave intersec-
tion was mentioned as being particularly dangerous.
• High-traffic area
• St. Johns/Flatbush/8th Avenue junction is very unsafe—
right hand turns very dangerous
• Frequent use of bike lane by cars
• Cars barely stop at Berkeley Place and Plaza Street
West
• Inner circle unused by the public
• Excessive number of traffic lanes
• Berms are filthy
o Some dead trees in the berm; some brush cleaning
in berm, but cuttings left behind

• Wide sidewalk around plaza with very little use

• Open up the berm
• Neighbors need to be engaged to a greater sense of
ownership about the berm
o Especially for maintenance/upkeep
• “You gotta have park”—get people coming out to
clean up berms and sidewalks
• Improve signage, create a sense of entry
Opening up the berm and/or improving the fencing were short term
actions identiﬁed to improve the area.
o Make local destinations known—i.e. Prospect Park,
Brooklyn Public Library, etc.
• More modern-designed benches: current ones are
clunky, not comfortable or inviting to sit on
• Improve the kiosk at the subway station; have some-
thing more architecturally appropriate—a café or shake
shack
• Remove ads from subway
• Remove bus lane
• Improve fencing
Create a grand entranceway from Flatbush, to feel like one enters the
Park at this spot.
• Open up the berms
• Seek to introduce a greater commercial element
• Create a portal/entry to Prospect Park from the north
(Flatbush Ave/subway)
o Currently, you only see the lamppost—nothing else
o For further thinking: how do we improve this as a
visible entry point and orientation to the park?
• Possibly re-route the trafﬁc through this area
o Close St. John’s Place between 8th Ave and Flatbush


• Move bike path next to the curb (other side of parked
cars)

INTERVIEWS
Like Best
• Convenient subway access
• Can use subway to cross Flatbush
• People sit in the triangle
Issues
Move the bike lane to the other side of the parked cars to protect rid-
• No sign indicating the blinking red is a stop/go—install ers.
a green arrow?
Improvements
• Close St. John’s triangle

LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS
• Montauk club
• Flatbush Ave businesses
• Co-op boards
• Expand the green market presence
Engage businesses on Flatbush Avenue in activating Grand Army Plaza,
o Have it run on more days through small satellite kiosks or other programmatic contributions.

o Introduce a market-based restaurant (Al Di La, Garden
Café?)
• “Gotta have park” as a catalyst for local resident own-
ership


SITE 5
JOHN’S PLACE

GROUP FIVE’S
VISION FOR SITE 5.


UNION STREET, PLAZA STREET WEST

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6
Warren
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KW

PLZ
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7


SITE 6
LIKE BEST
• Berkeley Place and Plaza Street are very quiet and
peaceful
• Historic significance of the area
• Potential to be a great public space
• Potential to connect plaza
• The corner at Prospect Park West at entrance to the
park is an attractive ceremonial entrance to the park
• Plaza Street West is a pleasant oasis; feels sheltered
• The green market South end of the berm island has the potential to be a social place.

• The south end of the berm has potential as a social
space

ISSUES
• Street crossing from green market across Plaza Street
West is difficult at best
o Really long crossing, you have the senior housing,
etc.
o Union Street/Plaza Street West feels very danger-
ous to cross
o Senior Center needs access Crossing is dangerous and time-consuming; hatch marks and highway
lighting are out of context; pedestrian/cyclist access is poor.
• West-bound Union St traffic dangerous
• Farmers market disconnected from plaza
• Cyclist access very poor
• Hatch marks are really ugly, blocking the box, highway
signage and lamppost doesn’t fit with the context of
the park
• Horrible bottle-necking on Union between 7th Avenue
and Prospect Park West
• The statue area is unkempt; the statue seems dishon-
ored
• Useless space near the statue; no one goes/walks there

• Bike lane on Plaza Street West is absurd—lets bikers
off in the middle of traffic
• Subways and buses are in the inaccessible inner-berm
area
• Bus stop is not safe at night
• Bumpy cobblestones
• No protection from traffic in the inner-berm area
• People never walk the shortest distance—go around
the plaza
• Wayfinding information is lacking and is necessary
Inner circle area is unprotected; bus stop is not located where people
want to go and is reported as being unsafe.

• Install a bathroom in the area
• Bump-out curbs—for shorter crossing across Prospect
Park West
• Enlarge/integrate market space
• Connect the arch to the green market
• Improve bike/pedestrian/transit access
• Off-ramp area from inner ring to Union Street (right-
hand turning traffic)
Chess and other games could be installed in near the statue.
o Traffic-calm this area
o Close off-ramp and connect statue area with island
• Increase seating area and greenery
• Open up the berm
• Create pedestrian access through the berm
• Create a better way-finding system
• Install chess and other inviting activities

• Turn Union Street into a greenway street— connect to


future Brooklyn Bridge Park and Brooklyn Greenway
from Prospect Park
• Close westbound Union Street; make it one-way
• Make Prospect Park West two-way
• Create a green bicycle two-way path separated from
traffic
• Create accessibility across the berms—could be a site
line into the neighborhoods and into the fountain
• Taking down the berms a possibility
• Take back some of the eight lanes of traffic in inner
Use greenery and planters to enhance the area.
circle
o Row of parked cars inside the area could calm traf-
fic
o Greenery, planters

INTERVIEWS
Issues
• Pedestrian crossing at Union and Plaza Street is danger-
ous; cars going toward 8th Avenue—hinders people
crossing
• Need better pedestrian crossing
Better pedestrian crossings are needed.

LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS
• Encourage local groups to maintain berm and addition-
al greenery by bus stops along Grand Army Plaza


SITE 6

GROUP SIX’S
VISION FOR SITE 6.



6
THE ARCH & FOUNTAIN

Warren

PLZ
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GR

7
Bailey

3
2


SITE 7
THE ARCH & FOUNTAIN
LIKE BEST
• Like that it is a quiet, majestic, grand area, like the feel
• Architecture and beauty—the arch and fountain
• Monumental scale
• Historic value
• Lighting this winter helped activate the area—now we
have to let people get closer
• Could be a grand entrance and promenade to Prospect
Park
• Open space, trees The majestic and historic quality of this area is one of the area’s great-
est assets.
• View corridor down Vanderbilt Avenue
• Peaceful in the middle of the space

ISSUES
• Accessibility a big issue
• No connection to side streets and poor connections
with Flatbush Avenue and Prospect Park
• Too empty, doesn’t feel safe
• Usually empty, except for wedding photos
• Kind of useless Use bollards to control trafﬁc and create pedestrian places.

• Space between the arch and fountain—add bollards to
make a space for pedestrians
• More connections
o Provide trafﬁc light crossing between arch and the park
o Mid-block crosswalks across straight-a-ways with walk-
ways through berms
o More crosswalks and striping to surrounding areas
o Add orientation maps


• Increase lighting
• More seating and flowers inside fountain area
• Install drinking fountain
• Add public art or temporary shows at various times
• Increase programming
• Orientation maps in the area to make it part of the
area (with park rules)
• Activity tables for chess or other games
• Study where people are coming from and going to and
do they have to go through this area
Have more seating options and decorative flowers near the fountain.
• Clean out trash and dead leaves
• Narrow emergency through-way
o Use alternate road treatment to diminish the visual
presence—i.e. slightly raised cobblestone
• Close Prospect Park to cars
• Eliminate crossover at south end of plaza

• Close one side of inner-circle lanes to traffic and make
the other side two-way
Reduce the number of traffic lanes surrounding the center island.
• Close inner ring to cars
o Convert whole area to pedestrian area
o Widen outer ring
• Reduce lanes in plaza to reflect input/output streets
o Take away some of the traffic lanes (at least one)
• “Drive less” campaign
• Add permanent art piece adding into the civil war
theme to show African American contribution to civil
war
• Add bathrooms in the area
• Connect subway station underneath

• Open new 2/3 subway entrance in circle center
• Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) on Flatbush; connect to subway
• Close space between arch and park
• Cut through berms to increase access
• Hiking on the berms to allow access
• Library is going to have food and seating—how to har-
monize with that?
• Cobblestone the area between arch and fountain
• Look at trafﬁc speeds from feeder roads vs. on the
circle—are people just speeding up when the hit it? When the library plaza opens up, how will the center arch and fountain
relate to the plaza seating and food?
• More public events for the community

INTERVIEWS
Like Best
• The mellowness
• Love the fountain
• European feel
Issues
• Sycamore trees block view
Create the ﬂexible stage for informal community events to occur.
• Hidden/notorious destination
• No connection to park; accessibility is perilous
Improvements
• Clean the arch and fountain area
• Vendor activities might help

LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS
• BIDs
• Civic organizations
• Art organizations
• Performances under the arch

SITE 7
THE ARCH & FOUNTAIN

GROUP SEVEN’S
VISION FOR SITE 7.


Rethinking Grand Army Plaza

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