The Montague Street Business Improvement District (BID) is going to bring a little Europe into Brooklyn this summer.
“On the four Sundays in July, we’re going to create a series of pedestrian piazzas,” said Montague Street BID Executive Director Chelsea Mauldin.
“It’s called that because you can send the girl to Italy, but you can’t get the pizza out of her head,” she added coyly.
Dubbed Summer Space, the program will kick off on Sunday, July 6 and every Sunday in July after that from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Montague Street along three blocks from Clinton Street to the promenade.
Through traffic will continue on Clinton, Henry and Hicks Streets as well as along Pierrepont Place and Montague Terrace.
“We’ll have attractive street furniture so people can enjoy sitting on the street with their iced coffee and newspapers,” said Mauldin. “In addition, many of our Montague Street merchants will be doing some expanded offerings, promotions and product demonstrations.”
Mauldin said there are about 100 businesses in the BID. The city’s Department of Transportation (DOT) is working with the BID on the project as a pilot program that may be replicated citywide, she said.
The DOT recently released a new strategic plan which calls for temporary pedestrian streets, she said.
Among the highlights and goals of the program are to support innovative public spaces and to increase summer sales for BID merchants.
Additionally, Summer Space will create an elegant space for outdoor relaxation for local residents, including visitors heading to the promenade to look at this summer’s waterfall installations beneath the Brooklyn Bridge.
The initiative also allows BID restaurants that already possess a current sidewalk café license to expand their sidewalk seating out to the curb.
The Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra is also interested in presenting a free public performance on one Sunday, and sponsorship is currently being sought to support the event.
“This is not a street fair, but provides an opportunity for residents and visitors to enjoy a summer public space. The only commercial activity that will occur in the street will be by BID members with no outside vending of any kind,” said Mauldin.
For more information on the Summer Space events call the BID at 522-3649.
