In the mid-2000s, Greenpoint and Williamsburg saw its stock rise, buoyed by an influx of new residents leaving Manhattan searching for a more creative (and cheaper) community. Subsequently, the New York City Council, with the support of Mayor Michael Bloomberg, approved a waterfront rezoning in 2005, designed to repurpose nearly 200 blocks of underutilized space in Greenpoint and Williamsburg and turn it into housing complexes and riverfront parks.
The rezoning forever reshaped our community and left a complicated legacy, one that will be the focus of a new event series from North Brooklyn Parks Alliance. The non-profit is looking back on the 2005 rezoning with “Rezoning Revisited,” a series of panel discussions on Wednesday, May 7.
“Join NBK Parks, government leaders, city planners, policy makers, environmentalists, and urban designers across NYC for a series of conversations reflecting on the impacts of the historic rezoning while also envisioning opportunities for a neighborhood still in transition,” the event’s description reads.
The day-long event features a look at the waterfront area’s past, present, and future, which still awaits the fulfillment of some of the rezoning’s promises (looking at you, Box Street Park!)
While space is limited for the May 7 event (RSVP here!), you can also sign up for a Jane’s Walk tour, named after the groundbreaking urban studies pioneer Jane Jacobs and part of a global initiative to connect people to the place they live. Led by Daniel Campo (The Accidental Playground) and NBK Parks Executive Director Katie Denny Horowitz, the May 3rd tour gives expert insight into the areas most affected by the rezoning.