Downtown Brooklyn was selected as the winner of the $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) in New York City. DRI is New York State’s biggest grant award – designed to catapult local economies to the next level, and the joint application of the Dumbo Improvement District and Downtown Brooklyn to improve connection between the neighborhood came out on top.
The funds will be used to connect underserved areas in our neighborhood, to make streets safer for pedestrians, to provide better access to green spaces and to better connect people to jobs in the Tech Triangle.
There will be various opportunities for public input on which projects these funds should be spent. There is also no timeline for the implementation yet.
“We’ve got so many exciting, innovative companies, world class universities and culture. Making easier, more walkable connections from Dumbo to Downtown Brooklyn will bring it all together, creating a powerhouse commercial district for the city that is accessible to all. Imagine working at Etsy in Dumbo, walking up to NYU to take a class in Downtown Brooklyn and heading back home near the Navy Yard. That opportunity is powerful and this grant will help make it possible for thousands of New Yorkers,” said Alexandria Sica, Executive Direct of the Dumbo BID.
Read the full application here.
Photo: Rendering of enhanced spaces around Commodore Barry Park
