New Grand Army Plaza Concept is ‘Brilliantly Obvious’
In the most recent issue of the Architect’s Newspaper, Editor-in-Chief William Menking has some very enthusiastic things to say about the Grand Army Plaza Coalition’s project, Rethinking Grand Army Plaza (download the proposal here) which was recently awarded a 2007-2008 Design Trust fellowship. Menking writes:
11:44 AM EST on December 11, 2007
Share on Facebook Share on X (Twitter) Share on Reddit Share via Email Share on Bluesky
In the most recent issue of the Architect’s Newspaper, Editor-in-Chief William Menking has some very enthusiastic things to say about the Grand Army Plaza Coalition’s project, Rethinking Grand Army Plaza( download the proposal here) which was recently awarded a 2007-2008 Design Trust fellowship . Menking writes:
This past month I served as a juror on the Design Trust’s latest funding round. We were presented with many well-crafted and smart proposals, and settled on two projects to fund: Closing the Gap: Rethinking Grand Army Plaza and Park Design for the 21st Century. The Grand Army Plaza Coalition’s proposal to reroute the roads around the difficult and inaccessible traffic island-cum-monument is such a brilliantly obvious solution that one wonders why it hasn’t been tried before. The roadbed between the plaza and Prospect Park will be closed and used on the weekends for a farmer’s market, allowing pedestrians to actually access this beautiful space without having to cross many lanes of traffic. (This will all be accomplished without denying drivers access from Flatbush and Vanderbilt avenues and Eastern Parkway to Prospect Park West.)
You can download a PDF of the current issue of the Architect’s Newspaper here.
Share on Facebook Share on X (Twitter) Share on Reddit Share via Email Share on Bluesky
Aaron Naparstek is the founder and former editor-in-chief of Streetsblog. Based in Brooklyn, New York, Naparstek’s journalism, advocacy and community organizing work has been instrumental in growing the bicycle network, removing motor vehicles from parks, and developing new public plazas, car-free streets and life-saving traffic-calming measures across all five boroughs. He was also one of the original cast members of the “War on Cars” podcast. You can find more of his work on his website.
Read More:
Brooklyn|GAPco|Grand Army Plaza|Parks|Pedestrian safety|Public Space|Street Safety|Urban Design
Streetsblog has migrated to a new comment system. New commenters can register directly in the comments section of any article. Returning commenters: your previous comments and display name have been preserved, but you’ll need to reclaim your account by clicking “Forgot your password?” on the sign-in form, entering your email, and following the verification link to set a new password — this is required because passwords could not be carried over during the migration. For questions, contact tips@streetsblog.org.
More from Streetsblog New York City
No Balls! DOT Cancels World Cup Street Viewing Parties After NYPD Balks, Organizers Say
It’s the latest World Cup fail.
April 24, 2026
‘Unacceptable’: Mamdani Condemns Super Speeder Cop, But Won’t Commit to Action
The mayor called James Giovansanti’s 547 speed and red light camera tickets “unacceptable” — but said an official response remains subject to “a conversation internally.”
April 24, 2026
City Officials Shrug at NYPD Cop’s Reckless Driving As Advocates Push ‘Stop Super Speeders’ Bill
What will it take for the city’s political establishment to confront a super-speeding police officer?
April 24, 2026
Streetsblog USA | Friday Video
Friday Video(s): Kidical Mass, Night-Biking in Tokyo, and More
There were great urbanism-adjacent YouTube videos for every taste this week; here are six of our favorites.
April 24, 2026
That Widely Misrepresented E-Mobility Study Actually Reveals Need For Safer Streets, Not Hysteria
A new look into emergency room data at one Manhattan hospital shows a need for more infrastructure, despite what you might have read elsewhere.
April 24, 2026
