DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN
JUNE 2026
Fulton Mall Revitalization
With the arrival of warmer weather, the Fulton Mall Streetscape Revitalization project will be able to benefit from a full season of plantings. In recent weeks, our contractor has installed a vibrant mix of perennial plantings— including Creeping Juniper, Coneflower, Bellflower, and Japanese Sedge—across all completed sections. Final work is on track for completion this fall, pending the removal of sidewalk sheds on some blocks.
OPERATIONS
Spring Forward
Spring arrived in full bloom across Downtown Brooklyn. Early flowers—including tulips, daffodils, and pansies— ushered in the season, followed in May by begonias in hundreds of tree beds. To prepare our public spaces for warm weather use, DBP’s Operations Team restored plaza furniture, set out umbrellas, and replenished plantings across medians and planting beds on Boerum, Adams, and Flatbush in partnership with Chelsea Garden Center.
Early flowers in full bloom
Fulton St. revi includes expanded tree beds and new plantings
Downtown Brooklyn Adorned - BrooklynBlossoms
Now in its fifth year, DBP’s partnership with NYC Department of Transportation continues to bring “asphalt art” - ground murals - to Downtown Brooklyn’s network of Shared Street pedestrian spaces.
This year, New York City- based artist Carla Torres was selected to create Brooklyn Blossoms, a bold and vibrant series that blends abstract shapes with nature-inspired motifs.
Featuring a colorful array of flowers, leaves, birds, and organic forms, the designs come to life with bright, radiant tones against a dark background. The work celebrates growth,
community, and the beauty of the natural world.
Carla’s work transforms over 10,700 square feet of public space, including Shared Streets and areas adjacent to the Jay Street Busway, into an immersive cultural canvas.
Downtown Brooklyn Partnership Progress Report June 2026
Artist Carla Torres at work
A compelted stretch of artwork on Bridge St.
Development Updates
As of June 2026, Downtown Brooklyn development includes:
170 projects completed since the 2004 rezoning, including 28,074 residential units (of which 6,180 are affordable), 2.8M square feet of office space, and 2.6M square feet of retail space.
10 projects under construction, including 2,050 residential units (of which 294 are affordable), 82,800 square feet of office space, and 69,200 square feet of retail space.
24 projects planned, including 10,963 residential units (of which 1,077 will be affordable).
For the latest information on real estate market data, development updates and commercial leasing activity in the fastest growing downtown in the nation, please see DBP’s recent Q1 2026 Market Report.
DBP’s Real Estate team maintains an inventory of Downtown Brooklyn’s development activity with its Development Dashboard. This dynamic tool tracks every completed, under construction, and
REAL ESTATE + PLANNING
proposed project since the 2004 rezoning. Simply zoom in and click on any property to view detailedw project information, photos, and links.
Fine Dining
Casa Tua, a Miami-based hospitality brand with locations around the world, is planning to open a food hall concept at Williamsburg Savings Bank Tower building (One Hanson Place). The plans are a collaboration with Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment, and it is set to open in 2027. The Grove Lantern, The Livingston Hotel’s ground-floor restaurant in Grove Alley, began serving customers in March.
Casual Food and Beverage
Many new food and beverage businesses have opened in Downtown Brooklyn recently. Two new eateries came to The Pioneer Building (41 Flatbush Avenue): SoBol, an açaí bowl and smoothie chain, opened in February, and Brooklyn French Bakers opened in April. Kung Fu Tea, a bubble tea shop, opened a new location at 80 Livingston Street. Ice cream and tea shop, Mixue, began operations at 519 Fulton Street in March. Crumbl Cookies recently announced a new location at 123 Court Street coming soon.
Dry Retail
CardVault by Tom Brady, a retail chain dedicated to trading cards and sports memorabilia, opened its first Brooklyn location at 80 Flatbush Avenue in March. GAP announced a new location at Atlantic Terminal Mall coming soon. Cyphers, a licensed cannabis dispensary, is planning to open at 314 Livingston Street this summer.
Fitness
Club Studio Fitness is coming soon to The Rocklyn (625 Fulton Street). CorePower Yoga will open soon at 1 Willoughby Square, in the building’s Albee Square West facing storefront. Pure Barre, a fitness franchise offering workout classes, is set to open soon at 11 Hoyt Street.
Rendering of Casa Tua interior, courtesy of Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment
Foot Traffic Trends
In the first quarter of 2026, foot traffic trends across Downtown Brooklyn show the following:
Brooklyn Commons recorded the strongest YoY increase in foot traffic, averaging about 8,000 daily visits in Q1 2026. Activity typically peaked around lunchtime, between 11am and 2pm.
Livingston-Schermerhorn averaged nearly 18,000 daily visitors in Q1. Hourly foot traffic tended to be the most active in the morning, typically between 8am and 10am. Fulton Mall averaged about 14,500 daily visits in March. Fulton Mall was most active between 3pm and 5pm.
Court Street saw daily foot traffic averaging about 7,000 visits per day. Foot traffic on Court Street tended to be most active between 1pm and 4pm.
Flatbush + Atlantic averaged nearly 30,000 daily visits in Q1 2026. Hourly visits tended to peak between 4pm and 6pm.
Subway Ridership
In Q1 2026, Downtown Brooklyn subway stations saw a 0.5% year-over-year increase, with 561 more daily riders than Q1 2025. Stations seeing the most growth included Hoyt-Schermerhorn (+5.5%), DeKalb Av (+4.2%), and Nevins St (+4.2%).
Citi Bike Ridership
In March 2026, Downtown Brooklyn saw about 100,000 Citi Bike rides, up 5.4% from March 2025, a significant increase. Stations including Schermerhorn & Court (up 81% after a new bike lane), Willoughby & Ashland (+35%), State & Smith (+24%), Dekalb & Hudson (+21%), and Fulton & Bond (+16%) saw strong growth.
A commuter travels by bike down Jay St.
Our Downtown Brooklyn Presents program is committed to curating events that create inviting environments, allowing neighborhood residents and visitors to come together, share experiences, and celebrate the rich diversity of the Downtown Brooklyn community.
Downtown Brooklyn is bustling with activity. Car-Free Earth Day at Albee Square kicked off the season with cycling lessons, an e-waste drive, crafting with recycled materials, and many of our local businesses coming out to meet the people.
We welcomed the return of our Ping-Pong series to the Brooklyn Commons, and celebrated the second anniversary of Abolitionist Place with a spectacular day filled with students, residents, face painting, and ice-cream.
Our Wednesday Wonders series - especially for the after-school crowd – returned, featuring jugglers, hula hoops, and stilt-walking. Reading Rhythms, the popular reading party, will be back for a second year,
Our Lunchtime Entertainment at Brooklyn Commons began last week. And we cannot wait for our World Cup viewing parties on June 16 + 17. Innovative programming and partnerships continue to underscore our commitment to
COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING
The community and shared spaces. With over 80 events scheduled through the end of August, Downtown Brooklyn is proud to be a catalyst for placemaking and community building
Stay up to date with all the events happening in Downtown Brooklyn here.
Make It in Brooklyn (MIIB) continued to support Downtown Brooklyn’s entrepreneurial ecosystem through industry-focused programming and founder convenings. At the MIIB Ag Tech Pitch Contest, hosted at GOLFZON Social, five startups presented innovations spanning sustainable materials, farm robotics, greenhouse technology, and food systems infrastructure. CocoaFiber Inc. was awarded the $5,000 grand prize. The event brought together founders, investors, and industry leaders and reflected the strong momentum around climate and agricultural innovation in Brooklyn.
MIIB also hosted the Play Jam & Showcase at WC Art & IPRC, bringing together founders from NYU Tandon’s Game Design Future Lab and the NYU Game Center Incubator for a six-month milestone check-in. The event highlighted Downtown Brooklyn’s growing game development community and reinforced MIIB’s role in connecting emerging entrepreneurs to resources, visibility, and community.
MAKE IT IN BROOKLYN
Retail Support and Outreach
In May, DBP launched its annual retail business canvass and a Business Support Survey to better understand the priorities and needs of neighborhood retail tenants. The district-wide canvass gives our team direct engagement with retailers and property owners and ensures that our contacts are current.
The survey surfaces key business concerns and identifies opportunities for support around marketing, public safety, operations, and programming. Together, the canvass and survey create an important foundation for outreach throughout the year and help ensure our work remains responsive to the evolving needs of the Downtown Brooklyn retail landscape.
Participants at MIIB’s Play Jam & Showcase
Make It in Brooklyn (cont.)
Bloomberg Connects: Downtown Brooklyn Cultural District Guide
DBP launched the Downtown Brooklyn Cultural Guide on Bloomberg Connects, creating a new digital resource to highlight the neighborhood’s arts and cultural institutions.
The guide features participating organizations across the district and offers visitors an accessible way to explore Downtown Brooklyn’s creative community.
The guide also includes a dedicated public art audio tour, inviting users to experience installations and artworks throughout the district while learning more about Downtown Brooklyn’s cultural landscape. The guide expands visibility for local institutions and strengthens DBP’s efforts to promote Downtown Brooklyn as a vibrant destination for arts and culture.
We were proud to work alongside Downtown Brooklyn’s vibrant cultural institutions, including
Brooklyn Academy of Music, BRIC, ISSUE Project Room, Mark Morris Dance Group, Theatre for a New Audience, UrbanGlass, The Center for Fiction, and L10 Arts and Cultural Center. Through performances, exhibitions, and community programming, these organizations help make Downtown Brooklyn a dynamic cultural destination.
Downtown Brooklyn’s app homepage on Bloomberg Connects
Public art sculpture “Balanced Cylinders Five” by Paul Sisko
DBP’s digital platforms promote Downtown Brooklyn’s businesses, public spaces, cultural offerings, and events. Across our website, social media channels, and e-newsletters, we expanded our reach and strengthened community engagement.
Website
DowntownBrooklyn.com continues to serve as a key resource for visitors, workers, residents, and businesses, recording more than 126,000 page views this quarter. Interest in neighborhood events surged with the launch of our Downtown Brooklyn Presents series of free outdoor programming, with visits to our events page increasing 16% as audiences looked for outdoor activities and seasonal programming. Our most-visited pages this quarter were:
• Events
• Shop and Dine
• Neighborhood Directory Map
Social Media
Instagram is one of DBP’s most effective channels for showcasing Downtown Brooklyn’s businesses, public spaces,
DIGITAL MARKETING
cultural programming, and neighborhood developments.
Since February, our content generated more than 845,900 views, reached 124,900 accounts, and drove 40,300 content interactions, representing increases of 64%, 63.7%, and 244.9%, respectively. We also welcomed more than 1,600 new followers, growing our audience by 3.8%.
Our top 3 Instagram posts of the last quarter:
• 2 Year Anniverssary of Abolitionist Place: Event Recap
• Casa Tua Opening Announcement
• Memorial Day in Downtown Brooklyn: Events Recap
Business spotlights on Brooklyn French Baker, Baby’s Buns & Buckets, and The Fresh Grocer helped drive awareness of Downtown Brooklyn’s diverse retail and dining offerings while strengthening connections between local businesses and our digital audience.
Tik Tok
TikTok continued to emerge as a valuable channel for introducing new audiences to Downtown Brooklyn. During the quarter, content generated more than 34,000 video views, reached 22,000 unique viewers, and our following more than doubled. These results demonstrate the platform’s
Our top 3 Tik Tok posts of the last quarter:
• Abolitionist Place 2 Year Anniversary Recap
• Downtown Brooklyn Presents: Events Overview
• Small Business Spotlight – Baby’s Buns & Buckets
Facebook continued to serve as an important channel for sharing neighborhood news, event information, business updates, and public space programming. During the quarter, our content reached nearly 14,000 viewers and generated 473 link clicks, helping drive audiences to Downtown Brooklyn resources and events. Strong-performing content included coverage of Downtown Brooklyn Presents programming, local business openings, and public art installations.
Our top 3 FaceBook posts of the last quarter:
• Lunchtime Entertainment: Announcing Samba in the Park
• Livingston Hotel Grand Opening Announcement
• Small Business Spotlight – Baby’s Buns & Buckets
Our LinkedIn efforts this quarter focused on advocacy and advancing Make It in Brooklyn, using the platform to engage Brooklyn’s business and creative communities. Posts spotlighting MIIB pitch contests, panels, and local founders expanded our reach through cross-engagement with speakers and partners.
Our top 3 LinkedIn posts of the last quarter:
• Columbus Park Rally Announcement
• Livingston Hotel Grand Opening Recap
• Casa Tua Opening Announcement
E-newsletters
E-newsletters continued to serve as a valuable channel for connecting with residents, businesses, workers, and community stakeholders.
During the quarter, The Downtown Brooklyn Beat grew to 20,205 subscribers, adding 155 new subscribers through a combination of digital outreach and in-person engagement. It remains DBP’s largest and most effective email marketing channel.
Our targeted Make It in Brooklyn newsletter audience also continued to grow, reaching 3,601 subscribers with a net increase of 37 subscribers during the quarter. Together, these communications help keep audiences informed about the programs, opportunities, and developments shaping Downtown Brooklyn.
Through TheDowntownBrooklynBeat,MakeItinBrooklyn,and SmallBusinessScoopnewsletters, as well as targeted business outreach, we shared updates on neighborhood events, new business openings, public space initiatives, and economic development opportunities.
Downtown Brooklyn Partnership convened elected officials, civic leaders, and community stakeholders for its 2026 Legislative Breakfast, an opportunity to connect around shared priorities shaping the future of Downtown Brooklyn.
Hosted at Downtown Brooklyn’s newest residential development, The Brook, the program featured a panel discussion moderated by DBP Pres. Regina Myer, featuring Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon, State Senator Andrew Gounardes, Deputy Brooklyn Borough President Kim Council, and Councilmember Lincoln Restler.
LEGISLATIVE BREAKFAST
The event offered a timely look at the policies, investments, and partnerships influencing Downtown Brooklyn’s continued growth, and the future of New York City. Topics ranged from housing and economic development to public space, infrastructure, small business support, and quality of life.
Throughout the discussion, a common thread emerged: the importance of collaboration across government, community organizations and the private sector to support and promote a thriving and lively downtown center. Brooklyn among new audiences.
Elected officials sit on a panel at the 2026 Legislative Breakfast
Community members gather for breakfast ahead of the panel
The restoration of Columbus Park has long been a focus of DBP. With the support of Brooklyn Borough President Reynoso and Councilmember Lincoln Restler, new energy has been brought to creating a great public space for all of Brooklyn. We were proud to participate in a rally to return a key piece of parkland on the corner of Adams and Joralemon Streets to the people.
COLUMBUS PARK RALLY
Restler and Reynoso have advanced a $21 million first phase of a broader $80 million plan to redesign the space.
The proposal was developed by DBP with the design firm WXY architecture + urban design and landscape architecture firm Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, which worked with local officials on the concept plan for transforming the parking lot into a mixed-use public park.
The current and proposed judge’s parking lot at Columbus Park
Downtown Brooklyn Partnership is a not-forprofit local development corporation that serves as the primary champion for Downtown Brooklyn as a world-class business, cultural, educational, residential, and retail destination.
Contact Us
info@downtownbrooklyn.com
Managing three Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) that cover Downtown Brooklyn – the MetroTech BID, Fulton Mall Improvement Association, and Court-Livingston-Schermerhorn BID – the Partnership’s diverse activities include attracting new businesses and improving the environment for existing companies, facilitating the construction of public spaces and streetscapes that promote an active and cohesive community, supporting and promoting Downtown Brooklyn’s cultural assets, and encouraging a sense of place and an engaged civic community.
Photo: JDS Development Group