NYCEDC President & CEO Andrew Kimball called Abolitionist Place “the next great space in New York City,” and gave a shoutout to a long list of the many groups and individuals who made it happen, including the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, Community Board 2, City Hall, past and present councilmembers, the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs and community members.
“The open space at Abolitionist Place delivers on a long-anticipated and critical improvement to quality of life while following through on a key commitment of the Downtown Brooklyn Redevelopment Plan,” Kimball said, adding that the new green pays homage to the abolitionist movement that once took place at the site.
Kimball said that the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs’ Percent for Art program “will bring two meaningful art projects” designed by Kenseth Armstead to the space. Armstead’s proposed installations, “True North – Every Negro is a Star” and “Conductors,” will be presented to the city’s Public Design Commission for conceptual review later this month. Installation of the artwork could begin in 2026.
Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer, standing in for Mayor Eric Adams, lauded the huge team effort necessary to bring the project, which she called “of huge historical significance” to completion. “This labor of love took more than a decade,” she said. Like so many important projects, the baton was passed…
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