How Bay Parkway and Pineapple Plaza Can Easily Spark Greener Neighborhoods
“Brooklyn Community District 11 is ranked 55 out of 59 for percent of parkland available to residents. Brooklyn CB 11 is a dense district with little opportunity to create new parks. As such, priority must be placed on actionable ideas that can increase the accessibility and conditions of existing open spaces within the district.”
Proposed Greenspace Opportunities
1. 86th Street at Avenue U and W13th Street. Close W13th Street. Extend the same treatment on the W12th Street side to expand Meucci Square.
2. Stillwell Ave at 25th Ave and 84th Street. Close 84th Street and create a mini park.
3. Stillwell Ave between Ave P and Bay Parkway. Close this section to expand Seth Low Park and connect it to Bealin Square.
4. .Kings Highway at Bay Parkway and 78th Street where the road splits. Close one side and add greenspace.
5. Kings Highway at Quentin Road and W9th Street. Close W9th and extend Ketchum Triangle.
6. Kings Highway, Quentin Road, and W11th Street. Close either Quentin or W11th to extend the existing greenspace.
7. Bay Parkway at Ave Oand W11th Street. Close either Ave O or W11th to enlarge the existing triangle greenspace.
8. Samuel Goldberg Triangle at 65th Street, W3rd Street, and 24th Ave. Expand the triangle and redesign the wasted asphalt area.
9. Dahill Triangle. Extend the greenspace down to 62nd Street between Dahill Road and 24th Ave.
10. New Utrecht Ave at 86th Street and Bay 19th. Close Bay 19th
11. New Utrecht Ave at 85th Street and 18th Ave. Close 85th Street.
12. New Utrecht Ave at 80th Street and 17th Ave. Close 80th Street (Local public school and subway station)
13. New Utrecht Ave at 79th Street and 17th Ave. Close 79th Street (Local public school and subway station)
14. New Utrecht Ave at 78th Street and 17th Ave. Close 78th Street (Local public school and subway station)
15. New Utrecht Ave at 74th Street and 16th Ave. Close 74th Street
16. New Utrecht Ave at 72nd Street and 16th Ave. Close 72nd Street
17. New Utrecht Ave at 71st Street and 16th Ave. Close 71st Street (Expanding local public park)
18. Benson Ave between 18th Ave and Bay 19th Street. Create a piazza style public plaza.
19. Harway Ave between Bay 37th Street and 24th Ave. Convert this block to greenspace for the local public school.
20. Village Rd N Between Van Sicklen and Lake St Next to Avenue U. Lady Moody Triangle could be expanded to benefit the local public school.
Bonus streets nearby but outside CB11
1. Bath Ave, Stillwell Ave, and 28th Ave. Close 28th Ave and add planters and benches.
2. Bay 50th, Ave Y, and W16th Street. Close either Ave Y or W16th to extend Private Anthony Catanzaro Square.
Southern Brooklyn ranks near the bottom of the city for access to greenspace. Brooklyn Community District 11 is ranked 55 out of 59 districts for percent of parkland available to residents. Only four districts in all of New York City have less parkland than we do. Yet despite this, our streets reveal a landscape full of overlooked corners that can be transformed into parks, plazas, and green corridors with simple, low cost interventions.
What we have started on Bay Parkway with Pineapple Plaza is not just a local success. It is a model that can be replicated all across our district. Our children, friends, and families do not have to live in one of the lowest ranked communities for greenspace. We can change that with small, strategic steps. With resources from amazing groups such as Street Lab, Bike NY & RAB, NYC DOT, The HORT, FDNY, DSNY & SF, and many more these small spaces can transform worlds.
Many intersections across South Brooklyn naturally form triangles or short blocks that provide perfect opportunities for new public spaces. Closing one of the three legs typically has little effect on traffic flow, yet it instantly creates new room for trees, seating, play areas, and community use. These nearby conversions already exist and show what is possible.
A great example is the intersection of 86th Street, Ave U, and W13th Street, where a small street closure extended the sidewalk and reshaped the entire experience of the area. The same thing can be done at W12th Street to expand Meucci Square. And this is just one example in a long list of locations that are waiting for the same attention.
Some opportunities are small, like closing a single block to create a pocket park. Others are transformative, such as expanding Seth Low Park by connecting it to Bealin Square through a short closure on Stillwell Ave. These possibilities are real and achievable.
Samuel Goldberg Triangle is another standout. New Yorkers for Parks has already noted this site as a priority for expansion. Instead of remaining a leftover roadway where multiple streets collide, it can become a signature neighborhood space with new greenery and new purpose.
This pattern repeats throughout CB11 and the surrounding districts. Dahill Triangle can be extended. The unusual geometry created by New Utrecht Ave reveals multiple blocks that could become small plazas or safe community spaces. Each of these interventions improves walkability, safety, shade, and access to nature.
Brooklyn Community District 11 may be ranked 55 out of 59 for parkland according to a NY4P document on local CB11 greenspaces, but rankings are not destiny. We have the ability to transform our neighborhoods with community driven action and targeted closures that do not meaningfully disrupt traffic. By creating a network of pocket parks and plazas, we can rapidly improve access to open space and quality of life for everyone.
Pineapple Plaza is the start. The next one can be on your block.
November 2025 Packed out plaza