This week’s issue of Crain’s has an article about how steps are being taken to realize some of the long-held plans for the BAM Cultural District. First up, the newsy bit: This week BAM is expected to close on the ground-floor retail space at the Forte condo and “it will use that space to exhibit its archives and to produce other public programming.” Aside from that, the story says the Theatre for a New Audience is supposed to break ground on its 27,500-square-foot facility in December, and BAM intends to start working on a new building it’s constructing this summer. Work on a new park and landscaping is also scheduled to begin before the end of this year. Taken together, it’s all very exciting, though as the piece notes, “the nascent arts neighborhood has had so many setbacks, it’s easy to question whether these projects will be completed as scheduled, especially during a major recession.” We’ll just have to wait and see.
Curtain Rises on Brooklyn Arts Center [Crain's]
Fulton St. Theater Will Be New Home for Arts Orgs [Brownstoner]
BAM Theater for a New Audience Not Dead [Brownstoner]
BAM Cultural District: Alive If Not Exactly Kicking [Brownstoner]
BAM District Master Plan from DBP.