Bay Ridge's 4Th Avenue
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VISION PLAN FOR THE FOURTH AVENUE CORRIDOR BROOKLYN NEW YORK 3 4 Vision Plan for the Fourth Avenue Corridor, Brooklyn Report for Marty Markowitz, Brooklyn Borough President Spark Fourth Avenue Capstone Team: Reena Agarwal Martha Kenton Noah Levine Gwen Litvak Avia Tzur-Farber Spark Fourth Avenue would like to extend a special thanks to the following people for their time, support, and guidance throughout the year. Marty Markowitz, Brooklyn Borough President Carlo A. Scissura Luke DePalma Andrew Steininger Frank Fish & Melissa Kaplan-Macey 6 Contents Section I: Overview of Vision Plan for Fourth Avenue Executive Summary Project Timeline and Process Summary of Recommendations Section II: The Study Area Background and Context History of Study Area Population Land Use and Zoning Section III: Existing Conditions Transportation and Streetscaping Placemaking and Wayfinding Community Engagement Section IV: Goals and Implementation Transportation and Streetscaping Land Use Placemaking and Wayfinding Community Engagement Intersection Recommendations Priority List Section 5: Conclusion & Acknowledgements Section 6: Appendix A - Stakeholder Workshop Process B - Park Slope Civics Council Recommendations C - Park Slope Civics Council Survey D - ARUP Traffic Study E - Leaf Key F - Figure from DOT Presentation to Park Slope Section 7: Academic References and Bibliography 1 Executive Summary This vision plan outlines a strategy to transform Fourth Avenue into Brooklyn Boulevard- a premier livable street. This vision proposes an active street for residents, economic opportunities for local businesses and exhibit spaces for the artist community. These goals will be achieved through traffic-calming measures, streetscaping, placemaking and wayfinding improvements, and community partnerships. Historic images of Fourth Avenue show what was a tree Fourth Avenue is one of eight north-south roads lined street with grand landscaped mall before subway heading southeast from Atlantic Avenue. It is line was placed under the street. primarily used as a main artery for traffic, as it extends for 6.2 miles from Downtown Brooklyn to the Verrazano Bridge and crosses through four neighborhoods. The residential character, proximity to transit, and network of schools and community organizations ensure that Fourth Avenue has the traits necessary to become a great livable street. Traffic safety is a particular concern for residents and users, as Fourth Avenue is the third most dangerous intersection in Brooklyn. Fourth Avenue’s history dates back to the founding of Brooklyn in the mid- 17th century. Over the past 400 years, population growth and changing industries have led to varied patterns Landscaping and artwork on median and street trees of residential, commercial, and industrial use will help restore corridor. along the Avenue. In the past decades, the Park Slope portion of the Avenue was rezoned to allow for larger commercial and residential spaces while Bay Ridge remained zoned as a special district, designed to preserve the neighborhood character. The result has been a mismatch of uses and styles of architecture. The coherent vision for the Avenue presented in this vision ties the neighborhoods together with a single identity: Brooklyn Boulevard. Brooklyn Boulevard will be a livable street that engages residents and visitors through visual, social, and economic opportunities. Improved streetscaping and open space at Flatbush A great street creates an experience, has a Avenue/ Atlantic Avenue/ Fourth Avenue Intersection defined sense of place, embodies local cultural identities, and accommodates multiple forms of transportation. The great street is accessible for all users, is visually pleasing and provides a mix of retail and commercial amenities. These 2 considerations are central to the vision for Brooklyn Boulevard. International examples of livable streets include Boulevard Saint Laurent in Montreal, Las Ramblas in Barcelona, and Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich. Broadway in Manhattan, and Eastern and Ocean Parkways, in Brooklyn and the Bronx Greenway are examples of livable streets in New York. In the fall of 2009, the Offi ce of the Brooklyn Borough President invited a team of decided to work with a New York University Urban Planning Capstone studentsto develop a vision for Fourth Avenue. The selected team, Spark Fourth Avenue, assisted in guiding a community-based process that focused on meetings with stakeholders, meetings with government and non-profi t subject matter experts, a comparison of domestic and international projects, and a critical analysis of design theory. Spark Fourth Avenue developed four goals to guide the Brooklyn Boulevard vision: Brooklyn Boulevard will be a safe place to walk, live, and leisure Brooklyn Boulevard will be ripe with amenities and easy to use Brooklyn Boulevard will have a defi ned sense of place, connect neighborhoods, and embody local cultural identities Brooklyn Boulevard will contain streetscaping that enhances the user experience These goals are a result critically assessing the assets and defi ciencies of the Avenue. The recommendations that follow focus on transportation, streetscaping, land use, placemaking and wayfi nding, and community engagement as interventions to guide the vision for the Avenue. Implimentation priorities along the avenue include these interventions: • Install temporary median improvements such as artwork and plantings • Ensure six trees are planted, per block, throughout the study area • Establish Brooklyn Boulevard branded signage for the entire corridor • Install street lighting and benches that advertise the Brooklyn Boulevard brand and make the boulevard safe and walkable • Create a grand entrance at the Atlantic Avenue & Flatbush intersection • Improve traffi c fl ow at the Atlantic Avenue & Flatbush intersection • Differentiate materials in pedestrian crosswalks, specifi cally around schools • Install neckdowns around subways 3 This report synthesizes the results of these goals and priorities into a comprehensive set of recommendations that will effectively transform Fourth Avenue into a great livable street. The new boulevard will be beneficial for multi- modal users and will allow for the coexistence of commercial, retail, and residential users. The report concludes with comprehensive recommendations for four intersections: 1) Atlantic Avenue & Flatbush Avenue 2) 9th Street and Fourth Avenue 3) 43rd Street and Fourth Avenue 4) 86th Street and Fourth Avenue The appendix concludes with a summary of the Spark Fourth Avenue stakeholder meeting and results from the Park Slope Civic Council’s forum on Fourth Avenue. Fourth Avenue’s strategic location and access to transit helps ensure the Avenue’s continued growth and vitality. Moreover, the existing residential character and deep history help the Avenue to maintain its relevance for all New Yorkers. This plan is designed to achieve a vision of how Brooklyn Boulevard will foster growth and lead Brooklyn over the next 100 years. 4 Project Timeline The Brooklyn Borough President’s Office (BBPO) invited a NYU Master of Urban Planning Capstone team to develop a vision that transforms Fourth Avenue in to a grand boulevard of Brooklyn. The initial client meeting occurred in early September 2009, where projects expectations were outlined and deliverables were determined. For the next three months, Spark researched the project site, conducted interviews, made several site visits, and consulted with the client’s representative. In December 2009, Spark presented preliminary findings and received feedback from the client at an interim presentation in Borough Hall in Brooklyn. On February 9th, 2010, in coordination with the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President, Spark hosted a stakeholder meeting for community members, elected officials, and community leaders. After a short presentation, meeting participants brainstormed the assets and liabilities of the Avenue. After a brief discussion of assets and liabilities, participants were separated into groups to develop ideas for the future of the Avenue. See Appendix A for details on feedback from this meeting. On March 3, 2010, the Park Slope Civic Council (PSCC) held a public forum on “The Future of 4th Avenue.” Through surveying individual community members, the Council developed a list of recommendations about streetscaping, school safety, and infrastructure improvements. A reproduction of the PSCC survey results are included in the appendix of this report. (Appendix B and C) The Spark Fourth Avenue visioning process concludes with a presentation on April 27, 2010 at the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President. 5 Summary of Recommendations 1. Transportation Recommendations Improving safety and transit efficiency is necessary for the health of the boulevard. This is a priority for residents on the Avenue. 1.1 Gather Traffic Data and Execute A Traffic Calming Study for the Entire Corridor 1.2 Improve Existing Medians 1.3 Create Loading Zones During Rush Hour in Peak Direction 1.4 Improve and/or Reduce Left Turn Lanes 1.5 Install Neckdowns 1.6 Create a Vision for Future Developments with Temporary Improvements 1.7 Adopt Leading Pedestrian Intervals at Key Intersection 1.8 Strengthen Bicycle Corridors on Third and Fifth Avenues 1.9 Implement Metered Parking in Commercial Areas Along the Avenue 1.10 Improve Public Transportation Service & Stations 2. Streetscaping Recommendations Streetscaping will create a coherent urban fabric through continuity of design. It will creatively use existing infrastructure,