Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation (Restoration) last week celebrated the ribbon cutting of a $20 million neighborhood revitalization project along Fulton Street.
The improvements, championed by Restoration and financed by a $20 million investment from the City of New York, include the renovation and redesign of Restoration Plaza, mile-long streetscape improvements, and the creation of new wi-fi accessible public plazas with public art.
The revitalization also generated an additional $100 million in housing and commercial investment by the private sector to create close to 300 mixed-income housing units and over 40,000 s/f of commercial space on the major thoroughfare of Brooklyn within Bedford-Stuyvesant.
“Restoration has always been at the forefront of improving Bedford-Stuyvesant and providing opportunities for its residents,” said Colvin W. Grannum, CEO and president of Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation.
“This project will not only provide Bed-Stuy residents with an opportunity to enjoy the neighborhood’s beauty and culture, but will also provide housing, business opportunities and shopping destinations for the people of our community and its visitors. ”
The streetscape improvement started as a project of the Mayor’s Office of Comprehensive Neighborhood Economic Development.
The goal was to increase resident self-sufficiency and improve commercial markets to meet local retail needs through the enhancement of physical conditions along Fulton Street, spurring local economic activity.
The improvements created new green space, outdoor cultural and community event spaces, and expanded sidewalks with new benches, trees, plantings, bike racks and lighting to create public destinations and safer, more walkable, vibrant streets.
“The improved streetscape along Fulton Street, along with enhanced and new public plazas, will make the neighborhood safer and more useful for pedestrians and residents, attract diverse new businesses, and ultimately spur economic growth in this historic heart of the Bedford-Stuyvesant community,” said New York City Economic Development Corporation president Kyle Kimball.
“I want to thank the many partners whose collaboration has made the revitalization of this great neighborhood possible, including the Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation, the City Council, and the City agencies involved in this project.”
The revitalization also created the commercial corridor’s first public plaza – Marcy Plaza – with additional support from the NYC Department of Transportation and the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs.
A public art installation in Marcy Plaza called “Mathematical Star” by local artist Ellen Harvey was commissioned by DOT, EDC, and Restoration through the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs’ Percent for Art program.
The architectural designs for the Fulton Street streetscaping and Marcy Plaza were prepared by M. Paul Friedberg and Partners, LLC., and the designs for the renovations to Restoration Plaza were prepared by Garrison Architects.
