Brooklyn’s biggest stories of the week: Brooklyn places 23 neighborhoods in the city’s top 50: Shakira turned Barclays Center into a two-night World Cup victory lap; Olivia Rodrigo’s new romance came with a Clinton Hill backstory; storm runoff put the city’s beaches under a no-swim advisory; Borough Hall’s subway station went step-free after two years; New York Magazine put day-care giant Bright Horizons under a harsh light; an 18-year-old was shot resisting a robbery on a Crown Heights platform; a Williamsburg stickup ended in gunfire and a stolen minivan; Greenpoint’s waterfront won approval for 1,300-plus new homes as Downtown Brooklyn’s next tower topped out; a Queens sandwich favorite eyed Cobble Hill while a Park Slope institution poured its last round; and the Liberty edged Chicago by a single point. Read on for the latest!
Events & Entertainment
Shakira turns Barclays into a two-night World Cup victory lap
Fresh off the first-ever World Cup halftime show, Shakira played two sold-out nights at Barclays Center on July 20 and 21, closing the New York leg of her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran tour. Surprise guests stacked up: Ed Sheeran, Burna Boy and Tyla on night one, Wyclef Jean on night two.
Olivia Rodrigo’s new romance has a Clinton Hill backstory
Dating chatter around Olivia Rodrigo hit full volume after she landed back in the city on July 20 with financier Julian Croonenberghs. Fans nicknamed him the “Clinton Hill man,” a nod to reports that the pair were first spotted having dinner in the Brooklyn neighborhood.
Melanie Martinez brings her cinematic “HADES” tour to Brooklyn
Brooklyn-born Melanie Martinez made her only New York stop on July 23, headlining the arena with the immersive HADES: The Sacrifice tour behind her fourth album. Her devoted “Cry Babies” packed the house for a theatrical, effects-heavy night.
Keith Sweat throws a birthday bash for the R&B faithful
Old-school R&B took over Barclays on July 25 as Keith Sweat marked his birthday with a stacked bill — Joe, Dru Hill and Kut Klose among the guests. The all-ages show drew a multi-generational crowd for a night of ’90s slow jams.
Pokemon Day Out Festival in Brooklyn Bridge Park
Pokemon fans from all over the City made their way to Pier 6 in Brooklyn Bridge Park from Friday to Sunday. Activities and plenty of surprises were in store as fans of all ages gathered to celebrate 30 years of Pokémon together.
Storms put Brooklyn’s beaches under a no-swim advisory
A second round of storms dropped several inches of rain on July 21 and 22, and the runoff pushed coastal bacteria levels up. The Health Department warned against swimming, and even wading, at beaches across the boroughs — the kind of post-storm advisory that routinely sidelines Coney Island, Brighton Beach and Manhattan Beach. Swimmers could check the city’s beach water quality map for the latest.
Transit
Borough Hall’s subway station is finally step-free
Governor Hochul and the MTA announced on July 22 that Downtown Brooklyn’s 118-year-old Borough Hall station reached full accessibility. Three new elevators now connect the street, mezzanine and 4/5 platforms after a $106 million overhaul — a real difference for anyone moving through one of the borough’s busiest hubs with a stroller.
Childcare & Schools
A hard look at day-care giant Bright Horizons
New York Magazine’s The Cut published Bryce Covert’s investigation into Bright Horizons on July 22, tracing alleged abuse at its now-shuttered Columbus Circle center and a pattern of citywide violations — even as the chain collected more than $100 million in city 3K and 4K contracts.
Police Blotter
Teen shot resisting a robbery on a Crown Heights platform
An 18-year-old woman was shot in the chest late on July 20 after she resisted a purse-snatcher on the President Street–Medgar Evers College platform in Crown Heights. She was taken to Kings County Hospital and was expected to survive; the gunman fled.
Williamsburg stickup ends in gunfire and a stolen minivan
Police detailed a Williamsburg robbery this week outside 327 Graham Avenue: a man grabbed a bag of clothing from a 55-year-old, fired when he resisted, fired again at a passerby who stepped in, then drove off in an idling minivan. No one was struck.
Real Estate & Development
Brooklyn real estate hits near-records in Q2 2026 as Carroll Gardens surges
Brooklyn placed 23 neighborhoods in the city’s top 50, with 19 of those surpassing the $1 million mark. Read more here.
Greenpoint’s waterfront clears the way for 1,300-plus homes
The City Council approved Monitor Point this month, a Gotham Organization–MTA project at 40–56 Quay Street in Greenpoint. It will bring 1,324 apartments — half of them permanently affordable — plus more than 52,000 square feet of public waterfront, a new museum, and a fully accessible Nassau Avenue G station.
Downtown Brooklyn’s next rental tower tops out
Construction wrapped up on The Fleet, a 30-story, 450-unit complex at 104 Fleet Place in Downtown Brooklyn, with a children’s playroom, rooftop pool and gym. Just 20 units are income-restricted, drawing criticism over its slim affordable share.
Openings & Closings
A Queens sandwich favorite eyes Cobble Hill
Compton’s, the sandwich shop known for its oversized stacked builds and house-baked bread, listed a Cobble Hill location at 240 Court Street as “coming soon” — its first Brooklyn outpost beyond Greenpoint.
Park Slope loses a 20-year institution
Excelsior, Park Slope’s longtime gay bar on Fifth Avenue, set July 31 as its final day after two decades. Owners Richard Kennedy and Mark Nayden cited rising rent and taxes and a lease offer of just one more year.
Sports
On the Court
The Liberty edged the Chicago Sky 95–94 at Barclays Center on July 22. Sabrina Ionescu scored nine of her 29 points in the final minute, and Jonquel Jones sank the go-ahead free throw with 3.4 seconds left; Breanna Stewart added 20.
In offseason news, the Nets reshaped their roster around three-time All-Star Julius Randle, acquired in a three-team deal, while adding Keon Ellis and Moe Wagner and drafting Mikel Brown Jr.
On the Diamond
The Cyclones spent the week on the road at the Jersey Shore BlueClaws, where a rained-out opener folded into a midweek doubleheader. Brooklyn returns to Maimonides Park for a homestand next.
On the Pitch
Brooklyn FC’s men hosted San Antonio FC at Maimonides Park on July 25 for Volunteer Appreciation Night — a family-friendly evening by the Coney Island boardwalk.
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