Statement on Compromise to Preserve Light for Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Advocacy Update
Planning

November 14, 2024

Elizabeth Goldstein, President of The Municipal Art Society of New York (MAS), issued the following statement about the compromise between City Council Member Crystal Hudson and Continuum Company on the proposed development at 962-972 Franklin Avenue in Brooklyn:

“The Municipal Art Society of New York applauds City Council Member Crystal Hudson for reaching a compromise on the proposed development at 962-972 Franklin Avenue that will ensure the Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG), a true cultural treasure of our city, continues to have ample access to sunlight and Crown Heights will have much-needed new housing.

ponds surrounded by lush grass and visitors
Scenes from the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. In the photo on the right, the proposed development would be built behind the tree line. Photos: Stephen Albonesi.

This debate has cast a spotlight on the challenge that New York City neighborhoods face in receiving enough natural sunlight. Since 2019, MAS’s “Fight for Light” initiative has traced the inherent connection between sunlight, human perceptions of outdoor comfort, and the survivability of plants across the five boroughs. We are proud to have worked with BBG over the years to study and raise awareness of the impacts that various development proposals would have had on the garden. New York City should be working to develop both targeted, place-based solutions and citywide policies that consider sunlight and public space from a broader health equity perspective.

We are thankful to Council Member Hudson for elevating this issue and working diligently towards a compromise that will help the city develop desperately needed housing while preserving the future of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.”

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