Like many American cities, the streetscape in downtown Brooklyn was for a long time very heavy on the street: a great place to park a car or drive through. But over the past 20 years, the area itself has gone from being a 9-to-5 shopping and business district to one where a growing number of people live 24-7. Since 2004, more than 22,000 housing units have been added to the neighborhood, changing its character so much that its old streetscape just wasn't cutting it.
The city's plans to overhaul Kimlau Square in Chinatown reclaims more streetscape from cars for people, but residents urged officials to think bigger in an area that is predominantly pedestrian. The redesign unveiled on Tuesday would flip the plaza from the east to the west side of the Bowery, near Worth Street, and straighten out the seven-way intersection around it.
The public consultation invites feedback from residents, businesses and the wider public on the proposed changes, which include new cycling routes and improved pedestrian spaces.