2018 was another busy year for your neighborhood! We got new parks, new co-working spaces, new restaurants, new preschools and encountered a major infrastructural challenge! In 2019 and 2020, lots of exciting amenities for families are coming to Brooklyn including a new bridge, new public pool, new public library, new parks and a massive food hall!
- Wholefoods 365, the lower price sister of Wholefoods, has opened up it’s first Brooklyn location in the 300 Ashland complex in Downtown Brooklyn.
- Chelsea Piers Fitness has opened a center with pool, five group fitness studios, in-club cafe, sauna and more in Boerum Hill.
- The Wing all women co-working space opened up in DUMBO. The 9,000 sq ft space features community work spaces, conference rooms, breastfeeding room, cafe, wellness room, lending library, showers, lockers and more.
- Soho House DUMBO opened this summer in the Empire Stores with a restaurant, club bar, library, an outdoor terrace and rooftop with a pool.
- The new exhibit Sharks! at the New York Aquarium in Coney Island has opened with nine galleries eye-to-eye with sharks and rays that live off the coast of New York.
- Williamsburg’s Domino Park has opened with a playground, dog run, taco shack, beach volley ball field and sprinklers.
- New bakeries and restaurants: Butler Bake Shop, Lassen & Hennigs, OddFellows Ice Cream Company and Seafood restaurant Seamore’s in DUMBO, Cafe Gitane in Vinegar Hill, Hill Country Food Park in Downtown Brooklyn and Amy’s Bread in Brooklyn Heights opened this year.
- New preschools and kids gyms: Little Gym in DUMBO, Elite Minds Montessori Preschool in Carroll Gardens and Brooklyn Preschool of Science in Brooklyn Heights have opened up. Treasure Trunk Theater has found a permanent home in a 700 square feet studio on Atlantic Avenue and the new STEM learning center Blue Studios has opened on Atlantic Avenue.
- Five acres of lush open space with around 550 trees have been added to Brooklyn Bridge Park with the opening of Pier 3.
- A new camping site has opened on Governors Island offering “Glamping” with stunning Statue of Liberty views and nightly camp fire.
- Public school news: A new middle school admissions plan has been rolled out in District 15 to address the ongoing school segregation in NYC. The split of MS 8 and PS 8 has been approved and PS 307 received a new STEM grant.
- Proposals for the rehabilitation of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway from Atlantic Avenue to Sands Street have been published. The 75-year-old BQE triple cantilever including the famous Brooklyn Heights Promenade that sits atop must be rebuilt and the DOT (Department of Transportation) has favored a 6-lane “Promenade” highway on the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, which accommodates the same level of traffic as present and limits the project’s planning to only that which is under the City’s control. After strong community opposition, local advocates have met with the DOT in November to present a concept that would move traffic to a temporary 2-level structure west of the existing triple cantilever instead of DOT’s 6-lane highway on the Promenade. The concept would impact the Brooklyn Bridge Park’s berms. No matter which plan the city eventually goes with, the Promenade is going to be out of commission for years, since the walkway is the inseparable top level of the BQE’s triple layer structure. The DOT will review the new proposal, evaluate different plans and further engage in 2019. Read more here and stay tuned!
Amenities to look forward to in 2019 and 2020:
- The Time Out Market is set to open in spring 2019 in the Empire Stores in DUMBO. The first eleven food vendors have been revealed, cuisines include Italian, Japanese, Mediterranean, Kosher, Mexican, Oysters and more.
- A new adventure park and water ride is coming to Coney Island in 2019
- Work has begun on the “BAM Park” to rebuild and reopen the 10,000-square foot park located opposite BAM. The project will complete by Summer 2019.
- Major street rehabilitation project in DUMBO is kicking off in 2019 and will take approx. 5 years. Dumbo will undergo a major capital project to upgrade sewer and water infrastructure, reconstruct the Belgian block streets and build-out the Archway plaza space.
- Squibb Bridge in Brooklyn Bridge Park has been closed for good. Brooklyn Bridge Park will fully replace Squibb Bridge with a traditional steel and aluminum pedestrian bridge, utilizing the existing ground support structures opening in the Summer of 2020.
- Bridge Park 2 behind the F train station in DUMBO will finally be built with an adult fitness area, multi-purpose synthetic turf field and performance stage opening in 2020.
- A permanent pool is coming to Brooklyn Bridge Park! The location of the future pool will be Squibb Park, which sits above Pier 1 and will open in 2020.
- LIU Paramount Theatre in Downtown Brooklyn will reopen its doors in 2020 offering music, comedy, boxing, and family-friendly events. The venue will have a flexible seating with a capacity of up to 3,500.
- The Brooklyn Public Library will open a branch at 135 Plymouth Street in DUMBO in 2020. The library will occupy 6,500 square feet and will have flexible programming space, computers and traditional book-lending services.
Happy holidays and a happy new year!
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