Two public plazas will open this summer in Fort Greene and Downtown Brooklyn, one at Fowler Square and the other at Fox Square, off of Flatbush Avenue and Fulton Street. Fowler Square, a DOT project proposal rendered above that met with some resistance from nearby residents, got full support from Community Board 2’s public transportation committee last night. That plaza will be temporary and expand across South Elliott Place. Some vocal opponents opposed street closure but DOT found that the short block only sees 95 cars at peak hour times (a very low number, compared to many other blocks nearby) and is host to much more foot traffic. DOT vetted the street closure with FDNY and the Sanitation Department, and across the board DOT found closing South Elliott would have very little impact on quality of life. So, in early-to-mid May, DOT will close off the block and install moveable tables and chairs, granite blocks, epoxy gravel, and 18 new planters. The Belgian blocks and sidewalk will be repaired and more plantings will go in around General Fowler. After this temporary plaza goes in, DOT will conduct additional traffic and pedestrian studies and ask for more community feedback, presenting their findings to the board next winter. If the temporary plaza works out, it will stay in place.
Click through for updates on Fox Square, at the intersection of Flatbush Avenue and Fulton Street….
Fox Square first made news when the Downtown Brooklyn Five Guys Burgers proposed an outdoor cafe in the area, and DOT asked that Five Guys pull their application in anticipation of a DOT-planned public plaza there. DOT’s Downtown Brooklyn Transportation Coordinator Christopher Hrones provided an update: Five Guys did pull its outdoor cafe application after DOT expressed concern that its plan would block pedestrian traffic. Instead, DOT will install tables and chairs on an interim basis for the public (and thus, not only Five Guys customers) until the public plaza plan is ready. The tables and chairs will go in the center of Fox Square, not attached in any way to the Five Guys. The permanent plaza is in the design phase, the interim plaza will be fully installed in about a month.


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