Mayor to release proposal for Downtown Brooklyn makeover

Mayor Bill de Blasio is expected to introduce a proposal on Wednesday to revamp Downtown Brooklyn.

The proposal includes the expansion of a 21-acre greenway from the courthouses to the waterfront. It would also allow retail stores to be located on the first floor of some city-owned buildings, the Wall Street Journal is reporting.

Ten years ago, then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg introduced a rezoning of the area that was aimed at helping establish an alternative office district for those companies affected by the Sept. 11 attacks. While the area didn’t become a booming office district, residential and hotel developments there have flourished.

While about 7,800 new residential units are being planned, the neighborhood is still burdened by chaotic intersections and rundown public spaces.

The city’s plans include the creation of the “Brooklyn Strand,” which would link disconnected parks, plazas and greenways from Borough Hall to the Brooklyn Bridge. At Jay, Tillary and Adams streets, the city is also looking to make changes, including widening areas for pedestrians and installing street furniture. [WSJ] — Claire Moses