Fulton Mall: Death By Compromise?
The Pratt Center for Community Development has released its full report–analysis and recommendations–on the Fulton Mall. Here are the five “strategies” the report recommends following. Clearly, they are trying to walk a very fine line balancing all the class and racial sensitivities that are all rolled up in the issue now. 1. Address the physical…
The Pratt Center for Community Development has released its full report–analysis and recommendations–on the Fulton Mall. Here are the five “strategies” the report recommends following. Clearly, they are trying to walk a very fine line balancing all the class and racial sensitivities that are all rolled up in the issue now.
1. Address the physical appearance of the Mall with innovative and culturally sensitive facade improvement (huh? sounds like politically-correct jibberish to us), building conservation and new building design techniques that embrace the aesthetic theme of “old meets new.” (We have no idea what this means but it sounds like a recipe for confusion and mediocrity.)
2. Better utilize buildings by activating vacant upper stories and carefully planning a mix of uses that supports the dynamism and diversity of the Mall and makes it more of a 24-hour place. (No quibbles with this one.)
3. Promote and enhance the current retail themes found on the Mall: urban wear, Hip Hop fashion and music, uniquely Brooklyn. (What, no Banana Republic? What about that diversity?)
4. Improve the public realm and enliven the side streets to enhance the experience of shoppers and visitors on Fulton Street, as well as workers and residents to the north and south. (Ah, so this is where they throw the gentrifiers a bone. The only problem is it sounds like they’ll have to wade through the penis-engraved tooth caps to get to their precious cafes. Not gonna work in our opinion.)
5. Engage a broad and diverse group of stakeholders in the planning process from this point forward. (We’re all just one big happy multi-cultural family!)Fulton Mall 2006 Report [Pratt Center]
Photo by f. trainer
No. I think that people just expect conformity and when they don’t get it they get defensive and angry. But that’s neither here nor there. Let’s move on. Look on the bright side, I bought Bx2Bklyn and David together!! Now that’s a feat for the ages!
Brownbomber, I think if you reread your posts you’ll understand. You say htings with an air of entitlement and it puts people off. There are a lot of people who want to do things with FM now that big buildings are coming. But don’t forget- the demographics of the Heights was always hi-end, and they never went to FM. The changing demographics have nothing to do with servicing the Heights and everything to do with the huge projects that are going up. But FM is still smack in the middle of a mix of neighborhoods and demographics- why should only one part of that, who never showed much interest before, be allowed to dictate who should be served now? The evolutionary approach is the best one and I am in agreement with David (don’t faint David! (:-> ) that the area should serve a mix. I would never want to see Brooklyn become Manhattan. But I would love to see Brooklyn be the best Brooklyn it can be, in all its glorious mixed reality.
Yes- and thank the lord I am. And damn proud of it. And maybe you should go back and read your posts- you hardly put things so civilly. By the way the only people doing scapgoating are those like you. ANd most liberals take responsibility for their actions (Bush is a perfect prez for you.)
I dont know – It is generally considered the ‘ideal’ pedestrian enviroment when you have a street wall reletively close to the street (no big plazas- ala 1980 manhattan) – w/ street parking which insulates pedestrians from the moving traffic and creates a “pedestrian zone”. In a way I feel like this is sort of missing at FM. FM does have an odd feel to it, sort of empty – and seperate even when it is crowded – although I have to say it was worse when the streets were bricked (with similar brick to the sidewalks).
In the end I think if you just encouraged (or forced) approprite signage and opened up the upper floors for residential and/or offices you’d solve 99% of peoples issues w/ FM – and all groups (current shoppers, nearby office workers and local residents) would end up being better served
Excuse me, Common Man. I’m not looking down on anyone. I’m just not a bleeding heart, excuse making, scapegoating, politically correct liberal. Thank God!
All I said is that people with less money have nearby options and people with more money should have some too. What’s wrong with that? Why is it the end of the world? Did I violate some unwritten code? What ever happened to free speech? FM is indeed death by compromise and without revolutionary change it will continue to be the armpit of Downtown Brooklyn. I’m not alone in this viewpoint.
Fulton Mall has a real problem with the width of the street and the bus traffic. From what I have heard this is the main reason for the redevelopment. I think it’s great. The bus shelters are big ugly behemoths and all the street lamps are old and barely functioning. I hope it’s done right.
David- is there any alternative when it comes to the atreet grid? Truthfully I never saw FM as a real walking mall- it’s not the buses, but there is still quite a bit of traffic going up and down,so it never had the mall/park feeling. I think though that traffic would be a bad idea in that area. Iremember what it used to be like and I’m sure it will add to logjams if the street is reopened.
Excuse me BB- how would you know what hard work is? You need to stop looking down your nose at people with less money. You are what’s wrong with urban redevelopment- selfish, short-sighted and yes, elitist.
😉 lol!