Janette Sadik-Khan and David Burney Open Enhanced Pedestrian Space in Brooklyn!

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On Friday, January 18, 2013, New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan and Department of Design and Construction Commissioner David Burney, along with other city officials, announced the opening of the newly reconstructed Willoughby Plaza in Downtown Brooklyn, providing 14,000 square-feet of pedestrian space, enhanced greenery, public seating, and other amenities to the neighborhood’s many residents and visitors.

From the NYC DOT’s official media release:

The reopened pedestrian space, featuring new planted areas, additional trees tables and other seating areas, is the first of the DOT Plaza Program’s plaza spaces built with temporary materials to be completely redesigned and rebuilt as part of a capital construction project, including extension of concrete sidewalks, underground utility work and new tree plantings…

“With a down payment of just a few planters, seating and some shade, Willoughby Plaza became the anchor of a retail and dining destination, showing once again that better streets mean better business,” said Commissioner Sadik-Khan. “Now with a top-to-bottom redesign, this plaza is a model for neighborhoods across the boroughs that are transforming underused roadbed into permanent public spaces designed, supported and maintained by the community.”

Downtown Brooklyn Partnership President Tucker Reed, also attending the opening, stated,

“Public spaces help enliven neighborhoods and draw communities together, and the revitalized Willoughby Plaza is the latest example.”

For more information, read the full media release.