Atlantic Ave Rezoning Up For Debate Weds, Thurs: What You Need To Know
CROWN HEIGHTS, NY — A massive plan to transform a 13-block stretch of Atlantic Avenue will be up for debate in Brooklyn this week, when locals will have the chance to tell the city what matters to them most.
Lawmakers say a rezoning Atlantic between Vanderbilt and Nostrand avenues could bring much needed affordable housing, bike infrastructure and economic development to an area targeted by gentrification.
While the Central Brooklyn project launched in 2016, there remain tough decisions to be made and high hurdles to clear.
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This week, the city scheduled two public sessions to discuss housing needs on Wednesday and open space infrastructure Thursday — and last week, city officials collected feedback on business and development needs for the project.
Community input will inform the final proposal, which would then undergo municipal reviews and a slew of approvals.
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If you’re planning on heading to those meetings and speaking your piece, here’s what you should know.
Housing
Organizers identified affordable housing as a key community concern — especially given Black residents in the area have a lower average median income than their white neighbors, Hudson said in February.
“Through a cycle of displacement and gentrification, residents who cannot afford these rising costs have been unable to stay in their homes or forced into overcrowded conditions,” said Adam Lubinsky, a representative of WXY Studio, an urban design consultant for the project. “The community leaders who launched this process see an opportunity to more permanently affordable housing in the project area.”
At 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, residents will again weigh in on housing issues at a meeting at P.S. 9, 80 Underhill Ave.
Electeds have a number of tools at their disposal to ensure the Atlantic Avenue area has effective affordable housing options, like building affordable projects on publicly owned land and providing support for affordable housing tenants, organizers said.
“One of the top priorities for everyone involved is deeply affordable housing,” Hudson said in February.
Streets, Infrastructure & Open Space
Pedestrian and bike safety are key community concerns around Atlantic Avenue, a road known to be dangerous, Berkovitz said.
The avenue in 2014 was designated one of the city’s Vision Zero priorities, including it in a massive de Blasio-era initiative to reduce pedestrian deaths, according to Gothamist.
Examples of transportation improvements for the rezoning plan include enhanced bus and bike infrastructure, sidewalk widening, different curb regulations and crosswalk improvements, organizers said in February.
Transportation will be considered in conjunction with open spaces and community infrastructure, including planting and sustainability, park improvements and underpass designs.
Community members will weigh in on transportation, infrastructure and open spaces at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at P.S. 9.
Workforce Development
Despite Brooklyn being a leader in New York City’s employment growth in recent years, the project site in Central Brooklyn has not seen much improvement, according to Bahij Chancey, an urban planner with WXY Studio.
“The Atlantic Avenue [project area] is not a very high concentration job center in relation to areas that we’ve seen a lot of job growth in like Downtown Brooklyn and the Navy Yard,” Chancey said at the February meeting.
Small business services, arts and cultural programs, retail development, career development centers are all tools that will be considered to bolster business development in the region, Chancey said.
A workforce development meeting was held on April 20, but it wasn’t residents’ last chance to weigh in on economic development. Keep an eye out for upcoming meetings at this link.
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