The Brooklyn Paper: SNA Newspaper of the Year, 2007

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This mess will soon be a ‘Grand Plaza’

By Dana Rubinstein
The Brooklyn Paper
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The Brooklyn Paper / Gregory P. Mango
Construction of an underground parking lot continues at the intersection of Flatbush and Lafayette avenues.

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Fort Greene will get a new park designed by renowned landscape architect Ken Smith, the artist behind MOMA’s rooftop garden, The Stoop has learned.

Smith will design what the city calls the “Grand Plaza” on the triangle bounded by Ashland Place, and Lafayette and Flatbush avenues, that will serve as the gateway to the BAM Cultural District.

“The plaza will create much-needed public open space that will serve local residents and visitors to the BAM Cultural District,” said Joe Chan, president of the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, who was brought in by Mayor Bloomberg last year to jumpstart some languishing Downtown development projects.

“Smith has a great track record of working with local stakeholders, which gives us confidence that he’ll do a great design that responds to the needs and priorities of the local community,” added Chan.

Brooklyn Bridge Realty

The park will be built above a 200- to 250-car underground garage, and will sit next to the proposed Enrique Norten-designed Visual and Performing Arts Library. That $85-million project has been delayed as the Brooklyn Public Library has struggled to raise money for its construction.

The city estimates that the “Grand Plaza” and garage will be complete by 2009.

Construction bids to build it are due by May 10.

©2007 The Brooklyn Paper

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