« Ikea is Everyday People The Biggest Sales of '08, So Far »
July 3, 2008
City Planning Facelift for Slope's J.J. Byrne Park
Within the next few months the city is going to start a second round of community-based planning for a major overhaul to J.J. Byrne Park. The Parks Dept. is going to focus on revamping the main section of J.J. Byrne, near 5th Avenue between 3rd and 4th streets, with a view to starting work on the area by 2010. Listening sessions were held last year about how the space should change, and the result of that community input is rendered above by landscape architecture firm Abel Bainnson Butz. Residents called for the playground to be divided up into three age-specific areas (one for toddlers, one for elementary-age kids and the largest for junior high-ers) and for the entrance on 5th Avenue to come in the form of a tree-lined pathway. Altogether, the current conceptual plan involves a 65 percent increase in the park's play area. Another idea for the park is to build a food kiosk near its center. Stone Park Cafe has expressed interest in running the concession stand. After the play area and entrance are overhauled, "the big dream," according to Kim Maier, the executive director of the Old Stone House, is to build an annex for the structure. While planning is occurring for the 5th Avenue end of the park, meanwhile, work will begin to convert asphalt courts on the 4th Avenue side into synthetic ballfields. That part of J.J. Byrne's redesign is expected to kick off at the end of August, and it's start date is being timed to coincide with a ribbon-cutting for the new (and very overdue) Terrapin Playground, which is being redone in a private-public pact with the Novo's developers.
Extreme Makeover for J.J. Byrne Park [Brownstoner]
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.brownstoner.com/mte/mt-tb.cgi/5393
Comments
Nice. Sounds like a good plan to me.
Oh...venturing south a bit...did anyone else catch this TV spot about Victorian Flatbush:
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/media?id=6230716
Posted by: guest at July 3, 2008 9:55 AM
I saw an opera being performed in JJ Byrne the other night. Quite a change from the 5t Ave of the early 90s.
Posted by: guest at July 3, 2008 10:37 AM
10:37, and what you described is a large reason for the run up in housing in certain areas of Brooklyn.
It doesn't ALL have to do with the bubble. Much of it has to do with the fact that many of these areas are 1000 times better than they once were.
Posted by: guest at July 3, 2008 10:49 AM
I agree. When I first moved to NYC, 5th Ave had few of what I consider to be amenities. Whenever my friends and I went out for a night of fun, we always had to go to Manhattan, but nowadays it's a matter of which Brooklyn neighborhood is the pick of the night.
Posted by: guest at July 3, 2008 10:56 AM
would be great to know what those letters reffered to in the schematic.
Posted by: guest at July 3, 2008 11:09 AM
This is great news. The new park will look amazing. Back in the late 80's I was looking for a commercial/residential building to buy. The only place that was within my budget was a buliding on 5th avenue. So I had to "settle" for a 5th avenue building. The area was nothing like it is today. The difference between 7th and 5th was day and night.
The change is nothing short of amazing. The best part is that the park is a short walking distance from my building :)
Posted by: guest at July 3, 2008 11:12 AM
Yea! 11:09 is right. Can't tell what's where.
Posted by: guest at July 3, 2008 11:16 AM
Hopefully there will be less concrete
Posted by: Polemicist at July 3, 2008 11:18 AM
Looks great.
Posted by: guest at July 3, 2008 11:19 AM
This will be a much needed improvment over what's there. But a food kiosk? There must be twenty restaurants within a two block radius. I say keep a park a park. Prospect Park doesn't have food vendors (unless you count a few hot dog carts and the snack bar at the ice rink). Why would you need one in a small neighborhood park?
Posted by: guest at July 3, 2008 11:19 AM
Will the park be renamed WASHINGTON PARK? I agree with 11:19 - there is absolutly no need for a kiosk. Plenty of places in the area to get whatever you would need.
Posted by: guest at July 3, 2008 11:28 AM
This sounds like good news for the novo residents. Its nice to have a park right outside your door.
Posted by: guest at July 3, 2008 11:38 AM
The redesign of the eastern part will never happen, at least not on time (start in 2010?!).
I got my hopes up on the renovation of the subway bridge and platform at 9th st and 4th ave and guess what? Budget cutbacks ... no reno ... remain craptacular for next 5 years.
Same crap will happen with this park.
So great, we'll have some more bball courts (5?!?! overkill) and a SKATEPARK (from NOVO man).
Can't decide what sucks more ... the 'hoodies that play bball there now or the new skaterats that will make this their new hangout.
Oh well.
Posted by: guest at July 3, 2008 12:18 PM
we need to recruit some old men to play bochy ball.
Posted by: guest at July 3, 2008 12:33 PM
12:18, I agree that it may not happen. But whether it does or not, I sure won't mind not seeing you there! If you aren't a complete loser, you're getting pretty darn close!
Posted by: slopenick at July 3, 2008 12:55 PM
Agreed- there's no real need for a kiosk.
A 65 percent increase in the park's play area is a great development.
What's the building annex supposed to be for?
Posted by: guest at July 3, 2008 1:18 PM
bocci but whatever.
Posted by: guest at July 3, 2008 2:21 PM
I hope it gets built
Posted by: landlord at July 3, 2008 3:44 PM
The game is bocce ball. Baci = kisses.
Posted by: guest at July 3, 2008 5:24 PM
How about 5th st and Smith?
Posted by: guest at July 3, 2008 6:31 PM
Post a comment
Please be patient while your comment is published. It may take a moment.