Architecture

Here's How the Parks Department Wants to Transform Fort Greene Park

The plan is to make the park more accessible — and better looking, new renderings reveal.

Proposed entrance ramp

by Susan De Vries

09/19/2017 3 minute 0

More accessible — and better looking. That’s how the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation proposes to transform historic Fort Greene Park.

You know those tricky stairs on the Myrtle Avenue side? They’ll become a ramp. And you’ll be able to actually see the Prison Ship Martyrs Memorial from Myrtle Avenue. (Not to mention: the basketball court will get some TLC.)

The New York City Department of Parks & Recreation is moving forward with proposed alterations to historic Fort Greene Park and, in preparation for a presentation to the New York Landmarks Commission this week, more plans and renderings have been made available online.

The project calls for a reconfiguration of the park at the corner of Myrtle Avenue and St. Edwards Street in order to create a new entrance at the corner. The current entrance, a set of stairs on Myrtle Street, will be turned into an ADA ramp to improve accessibility to the park.

fort greene park design myrtle avenue entrance — Plaza at Myrtle Avenue and St. Edwards Street corner entrance

According to the plans, the project will also open up a view corridor to the Prison Ship Martyrs Memorial, expand the existing adult fitness area and reconstruct the basketball court. Community Board 2 voted to approved the plans, the Brooklyn Paper reported last week.

The park was first completed in 1850 but by 1867 Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux were hired to improve the public space. Major re-designs in the 20th century include the 1908 completion of the McKim, Mead and White Prison Ship Martyrs Memorial and a 1936 design by Park’s architect Gilmore D. Clarke, which included new walkways and remodeled playgrounds.

By the way, in case you are wondering, that does to appear to be Drake (as the character Jimmy from Degrassi High) depicted in one of the renderings, along with Joshua Kissi of Street Etiquette in the foreground.