DOT Holds Ribbon Cutting for New Beverly Road Pedestrian Plaza

by M.C. Millman 

The new permanent Beverly Road Pedestrian Plaza officially opened this morning with much fanfare. The new Pedestrian Plaza, previously reported on BoroPark24, is a one-block area between Church Avenue and East 2nd Street. 

There are now signs warning drivers against turning onto the road and large cement planters blocking the way at both ends. 

The transformation of the open street created a new, permanent pedestrian space and expanded the adjacent Kensington Plaza to create one large, unified plaza totaling 9,400 square feet. 

The new design shortened pedestrian crossings on Church Avenue, Beverley Road, and East Second Street and created new loading zones on East Second Street for local deliveries to businesses and residences. 

As part of the transformation, NYC DOT is adding granite blocks, planters, umbrellas, flexible delineators, and movable furniture. The new pedestrian space has been covered in an asphalt mural titled "A Conversation on Beverley" by Brooklyn-based artist Misha Tyutyunik. 

Participants at this morning's ribbon cutting included Ydanis Rodriguez, NYC DOT Commissioner; Robert Carroll, New York State Assembly Member; Shahana Hanif, New York City Council Member; Georgia Faulkner, Senior Director of Partnerships, Programming, and Public Space at The Horticultural Society of NY; Leslie Davol, Co-Founder and Executive Director at Street Lab; and Misha Tyutyunik, Artist.