The eastern section of the southern Brooklyn waterfront is getting a makeover.
A section of the Shore Parkway Promenade, from the Verrazzano Bridge to Ceasar’s Bay, is slated for reconstruction. The project, announced by Council Member Justin Brannan’s office Monday morning, will restore the crumbling seawall and revitalize pedestrian and bike paths long impacted by coastal erosion and neglect.
The facelift is being funded thanks to more than $8 million secured by Brannan.
“I’ve spent my whole time in government representing communities along the southern Brooklyn waterfront,” Brannan said in a statement. “It’s a dream come true to fight through longstanding obstacles and secure funding to ensure our promenade is as safe, accessible, and beautiful as possible.”
Brannan, who represents Bay Ridge, Coney Island, Sea Gate, and parts of Dyker Heights, Bath Beach, and Gravesend, hailed the funding as a major win for his district.
“The health and of safety of any community has a lot to do with its access to and use of public, green, and waterfront spaces, so it makes all the sense in the world to invest in ours and make it as great as it can be,” he said. “Victories like this are why I ran for office in the first place — I wanted to make sure my community had a strong voice in City Hall, because it pays off just like this.”
The overhaul will address longstanding structural, aesthetic and safety issues along the waterfront, which Brannan’s office maintains has fallen victim to sporadic maintenance over the years. The project also aligns with ongoing Parks Department efforts to connect and enhance Brooklyn’s waterfront greenway, ultimately creating a continuous pedestrian and bike path from Bay Ridge to the Coney Island Boardwalk.
The design phase of the makeover is nearly complete, Brannan said, with construction expected to begin this fall.
“I’m very excited for the projects,” Community Board 10 District Manager Josephine Beckmann told Brooklyn Paper in November, after the board voted to greenlight Parks’ previous proposals for the Promenade. “It will truly enhance the shoreline by improving recreational cycling and adding to repairs for areas impacted by potholes.”
The Shore Park overhaul, projected to cost $20.97 million, will expand lawn space between bike and pedestrian lanes and add lighting at all promenade entrances. In areas with overpasses, amenities such as game tables, bike racks, drinking fountains, viewfinders, and seating will be installed. Accessible adult fitness areas and salt-spray-resistant trees will also be added where space allows.
The Leif Ericson Park overhaul, projected to cost $9.25 million, will focus primarily on the park’s greenway, which residents have criticized for poor signage and rough pavement conditions. The project will repave the greenway, improve crosswalks, and add new bike racks and benches in areas currently consisting of dirt paths. The section between Fourth Avenue and Narrows Avenue, known as “Keegan’s Path,” will be redesigned with new foliage.
