“Arrivals + Departures” by YARA + DAVINA. Photo © Sam Polcer

Outside the main entrance to the Brooklyn Academy of Music, there’s a new public art installation that “offers a meditation on birth, life, and death through the simple, yet powerful act of naming.” Created by UK-based social practice artists YARA+DAVINA, the memorial called “Arrivals + Departures” takes the shape of a traditional train station arrivals and departures board, listing the names of those who have been born (“arrived”) or passed (“departed”).

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Mayor Bill de Blasio and First Lady Chirlane McCray deliver remarks at the renaming ceremony of the Brooklyn Municipal Building in honor of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. March 15, 2021. Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

The Brooklyn Municipal Building on Monday was officially renamed after late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The idea to honor the Brooklyn native was introduced three years ago by Borough President Eric Adams, who launched a campaign in 2018 calling on Mayor Bill de Blasio to sign off on the name change. Following Ginsburg’s death in September, the mayor agreed to rename the building located at 210 Joralemon Street.

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Map data © 2020 Google

New York City has officially purchased the property at 227 Duffield Street, a 19th-century rowhouse in Downtown Brooklyn recently designated as a landmark for its ties to the abolitionist movement. The Landmarks Preservation Commission last month granted landmark status to the home, occupied by known abolitionists Harriet and Thomas Truesdell from 1851 to 1863, after years of advocacy and a threat by a developer to raze it and build a mixed-use building in its place. First Lady Chirlane McCray, who has been a vocal advocate for the preservation of the site, announced the purchase during Mayor Bill de Blasio’s briefing on Monday and said the deal ensures the property will be “protected and celebrated for a very long time.”

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Rendering courtesy of Gillie and Marc

A statue of late United States Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was unveiled in Downtown Brooklyn on Friday. Created by artists Gillie and Marc Schattner, the six-foot bronze statue is located inside the Flatbush Avenue entrance of the mixed-use development City Point. Visitors can “Stand with Ruth” and take photos with the statue, but a timed reservation is required to maintain social distancing, according to City Point.

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227 Duffield Street; Map data © 2020 Google

The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday voted to designate a Brooklyn property that was home to known abolitionists, likely saving it from demolition. Harriet and Thomas Truesdell, members of the anti-slavery movement before the Civil War, lived at the Greek-Revival row house at 227 Duffield Street from 1851 to 1863. The commission recommended 227 Duffield for designation because it represents a rare surviving home to known abolitionists and marks Brooklyn’s pre-Civil War abolitionist movement. The push for landmarking the site was accelerated in 2019 when a developer filed permits to raze the three-story structure and replace it with a much taller mixed-use building.

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Renderings by Hargreaves Jones, courtesy of NYCEDC

After being in the works for nearly two decades, plans to build a public park in Downtown Brooklyn with a memorial to the neighborhood’s abolitionist history are delayed once again. The Public Design Commission last week tabled a conceptual proposal from artist Kameelah Janan Rasheed after preservationists and community members during an intense public hearing criticized both the design for missing details and the city’s lack of transparency.

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From its sky-high outdoor infinity pool to the chic interior finishes designed by Katherine Newman, no details were overlooked at Brooklyn Point, the 720-foot residential tower in Downtown Brooklyn. After topping out last spring, officially becoming the borough’s tallest tower, and commencing closings and first move-ins this summer, new photos of the building’s model unit were released in September, which show off the eclectic interiors by designer Charlie Ferrer.

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All renderings by Williams New York

Not only is Brooklyn Point the tallest building in the borough, but it has the highest infinity pool in the western hemisphere. Superlatives aside, the 720-foot condo tower has also proved popular for its location across from Willoughby Square Park and its inclusion in the larger City Point development in Downtown Brooklyn. And in true Extell Development fashion, the amenity package is stacked, including a huge landscaped terrace complete with BBQs and a putting green, a triple-height lounge, and another indoor pool. Just in time for residents to enjoy all these perks, Brooklyn Point has announced that it’s commenced closings and begun the first move-ins.

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Photo credit: Russ Ross, courtesy The Corcoran Group

Downtown Brooklyn‘s Belltel Lofts are housed in a landmarked Art Deco tower at 365 Bridge Street that just happens to be the borough’s very first skyscraper. Built in 1929 as the headquarters for the New York Telephone Company, the 27-story building was designed by “architect of the century” Ralph Walker. In 2008, it was converted to condos by Beyer Blinder Belle and now has 217 apartments. This sunny unit, listed for $1,395,000, has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a private terrace that overlooks Downtown Brooklyn and sits against the building’s gorgeous brickwork.

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Photo of 1 Flatbush Avenue courtesy of Alexander Severin

Applications are now being accepted for 20 mixed-income apartments at a new Brooklyn high rise. The 19-story tower located at 1 Flatbush Avenue sits between Downtown Brooklyn and Fort Greene, conveniently located near a dozen subway lines, major shopping thoroughfares, and entertainment venues like the Barclays Center and the Brooklyn Academy of Music. New Yorkers earning 40 and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, ranging from a $690/month studio to a $3,063/month two-bedroom.

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