'Summer Space' Coming to Brooklyn Heights?
Brooklyn has an answer to the plan that’ll make a large stretch of Park Avenue car-free for a few Saturdays this summer. On Sundays in July, three blocks of Montague Street, between Clinton and the Promenade, are likely to be closed off, according to the Brooklyn Paper. The resulting “Summer Space,” as proposed by the…
Brooklyn has an answer to the plan that’ll make a large stretch of Park Avenue car-free for a few Saturdays this summer. On Sundays in July, three blocks of Montague Street, between Clinton and the Promenade, are likely to be closed off, according to the Brooklyn Paper. The resulting “Summer Space,” as proposed by the Montague Street BID, would include cafe tables and a lawn. It will…encourage Sunday sales for our merchants, said BID Executive Director Chelsea Mauldin. People can come out, pick up a coffee, read the paper, and enjoy the sunshine.
Montague on Grass! [Brooklyn Paper]
Rendering from the Montague Street BID via Brooklyn Paper .
After strolling there, they should wander over to the Brooklyn and spend more money there.
11:01 & 11:50 – I am afraid your economic analysis is a bit lacking (but typically incorrectly cited by retail tenants as well)
Yes Montague St has some of the highest sq ft rents but that is because it has some of the highest foot traffic in the boro due to its proximity to downtown Brooklyn and virtually every subway line, its local (potential) customers are also some of the wealthiest in NYC and it is situated in an area that sees decent tourist traffic as well as ‘local’ tourists who come to see the promenade…
Therefore while the rent burden is high, merchants who provide the merchandise, service and experience that this VAST number of potential customers want – the potential profits are higher too.
The crappy stores on Montague are not a function of the rent but actually in spite of it – In fact for (extreme) comparison stores on 5th as well as Madison Ave in Manhattan ought to have the worst service, lowest quality, and lousiest decor – yet remarkably it is generally the exact opposite.
I’m more excited about the Bedford av (between n3 and n9) street closures for three Saturdays starting July 19.
This seems more suited for hipsters anyway :). And bedford already gets gray congested on the weekends.
this is sweet for Bedford. can’t wait to see if it turns out as nice as it sounds.
Good idea, the sidewalks on Montague get pretty crowded and irritating on the weekends. This ought to improve the space a lot. Boo-hoo-hoo for Brooklyn Heights drivers like 10:25 who have to detour three whole blocks.
Looks like a nicer way to close down a street then those retched street fairs with the same overpriced fried food, cheap sheet sets, socks, and stuff that you could buy for less in Chinatown or the Garment District wholesale/retail shops.
As a result of the high rents many of the Montague St businesses have had to cut costs in areas such as: employees, store decor/layout, quality of food/chefs, level of inventory, etc. As such, most all businesses on Montague are completely out of step with what customers are demanding and getting from other nearby areas such as Dumbo and Smith/Court. Will closing off traffic on Montague benefit the stores? Probably, but more due to higher foot traffic from the waterfalls than anything to do with some long desire to have a burger (sorry not much else tasty available!) in the middle of the street.
I don’t know if it’s good or bad. What I do wish is that they’d get rid of those miserable roving street fairs.
I like in Brooklyn Heights as well and think this is a good idea. Unfortunately, Montague Street business owners are subject to some of the highest cost per square foot in the borough. So, we are left we business owners that are most concerns with making a profit other than provide better service. This greening of the commercial corridor will be a great opportunity for merchants to extend their square footage, thereby increasing profits.
With the tourists and New Yorkers coming from many places to see the waterfall installation and hop on the shuttle bus to Ikea, business owners may attempt to provide better service on these days. Maybe that service-mindset may carry over to residents that support those businesses on a regular basis. I personally am kind of excited about trying out products at Korres. Bring on the fake grass!