Reimagining Grand Army Plaza: New York workshop

On 25th October, a group of about a dozen people representing various communities and local stakeholders met for a visioning session to reimagine one of the most iconic locations in Brooklyn: Grand Army Plaza.

Check out some pictures from the day….

Originally designed in 1867 by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux as a gateway to Prospect Park, today it is home to the historic Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch, which celebrates the Union victory in the Civil War. 

Unfortunately, with the rise of automobiles in the early 20th century, Grand Army Plaza’s connection to the park was severed by a confusing and chaotic network of traffic lanes, leaving the arch at its centre an island surrounded by a sea of asphalt. Despite these changes, Grand Army Plaza remains an important crossroads for various Brooklyn communities, a major access point for Prospect Park, the host of a weekly greenmarket and an important gathering spot for political protests, holiday celebrations and more. 

During the lively visioning session — which was co-hosted by Transportation Alternatives, SCAPE Landscape Architecture, and Brooklyn Spoke — participants worked from a set of goals. These included reconnecting the plaza to the park and its historic routes, meeting the 21st century challenges of climate change, prioritising pedestrian and cyclist safety, and maintaining the area's traditional role as space for public protest and commerce. Various ideas were shared, some fanciful, others practical, but all imaginative and forward looking. Some suggested turning Plaza Street, which rings Grand Army Plaza, into a shared street, allowing for local deliveries and other vehicular access, while creating better access to the wooded berms and the large fountain – features that are currently difficult to access due to their proximity to heavy traffic. Others suggested adding space for picnics, sports, and other activities to take some of the pressure off of Prospect Park and provide more people with access to greenspace.

An iconic location in Paris and New York were also workshopped as part of the Car Free Megacities visions work. We presented the images during our online symposium on 21st November 2022.