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Anchorage Plaza near the Brooklyn Bridge may soon be transformed into a sports and recreation facility, if a request for proposals (RFP) released by the City of New York Department of Parks & Recreation earlier this week comes to fruition.
The news, first reported by Streetsblog NYC, is pretty exciting as this would be the first time that the city would reopen the nearly 100,000-square-foot lot in 15 years.
As noted in the RFP, the Parks Department is looking for folks willing to offer "parks appropriate activities," including paddleball, public art, performances, a dog run, food and beverage service. The agency also mentions "the option to operate up to three mobile food units or other Parks-appropriate amenities."
Contractors are currently being offered to operate the center for up to six years.
The stretch of land under the scenic bridge has been used by the Department of Transportation to store vehicles and construction equipment since 2009.
Clearly, turning the area into a usable recreation center that will undoubtedly draw New Yorkers and tourists alike is a compelling prospect—especially for people who live in the neighborhood.
“Anchorage Plaza is just such an eyesore and we’re thrilled if it could be used,” said Jimmy Ng, a member of the DUMBO Action Committee, to Streetsblog NYC. “To see it empty with 10-12 trucks, but empty otherwise, is heartbreaking.”
This isn’t the first we’ve heard about the project. Last year, transportation officials unveiled renderings of proposals for a designed Anchorage Plaza.
Here's to hoping plans and proposals will soon become a reality: the area is in clear need of revitalization.