Columbus Park renovations face parking lot problem in Downtown Brooklyn
Officials said they secured $21 million of city funds for Phase 1 of the revitalization project, which the parking lot is a part of.
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Major upgrades are expected for Columbus Park in Downtown Brooklyn, but local leaders say a neighboring parking lot is pumping the brakes on renovations.
“[The parking lot] is zoned as parkland, and the judges have refused to move their cars,” said Council Member Lincoln Restler, who represents downtown as part of the 33rd District.
The lot, located near Joralemon and Adams streets, sits next to the park outside of Brooklyn Borough Hall.
“It was initially designed, in the 1950s, to really be the front door of the court system,” said Regina Myer, president of the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership. “It’s time now for it to really be a great space for everyone.”
Officials said they secured $21 million of city funds for Phase 1 of the revitalization project, which the parking lot is a part of.
The goal of the project is to add more green space to the park, which stretches about eight acres from Joralemon to Tillary streets.
“What we call [Columbus Park now] is like a glorified sidewalk,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. “It’s not a park by the traditional sense.”
Officials said ideas for renovations include a playground, a dog run and a skate park.
“We’ve offered [judges] multiple alternative locations in immediate proximity to their courthouse – spaces indoors, spaces outdoors, spaces with valet parking and extra security,” said Restler. “They’ve said ‘no’ to everything.”
“This is not about safety,” said Reynoso. “This is about [the judges] exerting their power and wanting to show the world that we shouldn’t mess with their parking lot.”
A spokesperson for the Office of Court Administration issued a statement to News 12 about the situation.
“The security of our judges is our highest priority. While we have engaged in discussions with the Brooklyn elected officials regarding an alternate location for the judges’ parking lot, no alternatives have yet been proposed that would provide adequate security for our judges. The current lot, which has been in that location since the courthouse was built in the middle of the last century, provides the necessary security for our judges who are under increasing threats,” wrote spokesperson Al Baker.
