BQGREEN: Reviving South Williamsburg

The Brooklyn Queens Expressway (BQE) was originally proposed by the Regional Plan Association in the mid-1930s to mitigate traffic congestion, facilitate industrial development, and strengthen the connection between the boroughs of New York City. Robert Moses, as chair of the Tri-borough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, charted its path through Queens and Brooklyn. The construction of the BQE left a trail of divided neighborhoods in its wake.

This project developed strategies to reconnect these neighborhoods and ameliorate the associated environmental impacts. We reconceived the highway and adjacent areas as a productive spine by introducing ecological elements to vestigial spaces that enhance the performance of the street, maximizing its potential as a true public amenity. 

In 2010, dlandstudio conducted a feasibility study of decking a four block section of the highway in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. dlandstudio held community meetings and met with area stakeholders to gather community input and garner support. The resulting 92-page report outlined existing neighborhood issues, summarized community feedback, and developed a three-stage plan for creating an open space that truly serves the community.

New York State Council on the Arts Individual Artist Grant

ASLA New York Chapter, Award 2007

AIA New York Chapter Design Awards, Urban Design Merit Award 2010

  • Founded by inventor, industrialist and philanthropist Peter Cooper in 1859, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art offers education in art, architecture and engineering, as well as courses in the humanities and social sciences.

  • “My feelings, my desires, my hopes, embrace humanity throughout the world,” Peter Cooper proclaimed in a speech in 1853. He looked forward to a time when, “knowledge shall cover the earth as waters cover the great deep.”

  • From its beginnings, Cooper Union was a unique institution, dedicated to founder Peter Cooper's proposition that education is the key not only to personal prosperity but to civic virtue and harmony.

  • Peter Cooper wanted his graduates to acquire the technical mastery and entrepreneurial skills, enrich their intellects and spark their creativity, and develop a sense of social justice that would translate into action.