Grand Army Plaza’s Impending Makeover
No one cares to cross it. It is devoid of all life and is a stony waste. It is suggestive of Siberia in winter and Sahara in summer. This was how an 1888 report by Brooklyn’s Parks Commission described Grand Army Plaza, the Calvert Vaux- and Frederick Law Olmstead-designed entrance to Prospect Park. Clearly, it gets plenty of use these days, but navigating the 11-acre space, either by car or on foot, can be both nerve-wracking and dangerous. So, the New York Times reports, a group called the Grand Army Plaza Coalition is working to get GAP redesigned, this time with cars (and pedestrians) in mind. Two hundred groups submitted proposals to the Design Trust for Public Space, and 30 finalists were chosen; on September 12, a jury, including our own Mr. B, will announce the winner.
In the Heart of Brooklyn, No Man’s Island [NY Times]
Grand Army Plaza. Photo by Tanuzzo Design Studio.