SPRING WILL SOON BE SPRING-ING!
HAPPY SPRING!
The season of renewal arrives in just a few more weeks (Tuesday, March 19, to be exact), and the streets are starting to buzz with activity! For those of us who are over winter and ready to shed the grey days and bulky clothing, spring promises bright, energy-filled days packed with lots of things to do and see, and FAB will be here to keep you informed!
Plaza season kicks off in New York City on April 1, and our three public plaza spaces (Jitu Weusi, Gates Avenue, and Fowler Square) will be open to welcome you to sit, people-watch, enjoy lunch, or meet friends, for limited hours each day, through October 31. Just as a reminder, despite public access, the plazas are NOT open 24 hours; our maintenance crew adheres to a cleaning and furniture placement schedule that aligns with the longer daylight hours of spring and summer. We will post the hours on our social media feeds as we get closer to the plaza season.
All plazas have a set of rules posted which prohibit:
obstruction of pedestrian traffic
destruction, removal, or tampering of any property or equipment
camping
unattended property
consumption of alcoholic beverages, except as otherwise permitted
skateboarding
feeding of undomesticated animals
spitting, urination, defecation
unreasonable noise
dogs off-leash
smoking
littering
In addition, bicycle and scooter riding is only permitted on designated routes or where indicated by signage or markings. Permits are required for all vending and events. Also, it is illegal to use a charcoal, electric, or piped natural gas or propane-fired barbecue on any commercial property, or any sidewalk, street, or plaza in NYC. Please help us keep our plazas clean, safe, and welcoming for all of our neighbors!
Join us the morning of Thursday, April 4, as we “Wake Up the Plazas” with activities in each of our public spaces to kick off the season! Stay tuned for more details on our social media feeds!
ANY LEADS ON ARTISTS?
If you are or know of any artists who would like to participate in our annual ART360 / FORT GREENE event, read on!
Our event this year is on Saturday, May 18, and we are seeking a few (3-4) local artists to transform the storefront windows and/or doors of area small businesses. You must be able to work with temporary (water-soluble) paints or markers, chalk, or tape to create designs in collaboration with store merchants. FAB FULTON will provide a small stipend and promotion.
Time is ticking! Interested? Click here to send an email; include your name, phone number, and a link to your Instagram, TikTok, Facebook page, or website showing your work. We’ll be selecting artists this month to pair with business locations.
DISTRICT 35 SPRING SENIOR SERIES
Following the success of the inaugural Summer Youth Series, the Office of Council Member Crystal Hudson worked with nearly one dozen community partners to organize its first-ever Spring Senior Series. Their office has organized nine weeks (March 8 to May 10) of programming specifically to meet the needs and interests of older adults. From film screenings to dance classes to museum tours to painting classes, older adults in District 35 will have the opportunity to take part in free programming and enjoy the rich cultural institutions that service the neighborhoods of Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Crown Heights, and Prospect Heights.
Click here for details and sign up!
WHAT’S NEW?
Lots of new eateries have sprung up (or are close to opening) in the FAB FULTON district!
Theodora (7 Greene) opened to much fanfare, with lots of press coverage and great reviews. The new restaurant is helmed by the same team behind local hotspot Miss Ada, on Dekalb Avenue. Mediterranean-style fare is the cuisine at Theodora, with a focus on seafood and open-fire cooking.
Istanbul Mediterranean moved into the former Ojala Mexican space (852 Fulton) in Clinton Hill, serving up classic gyro and grill favorites like kebabs, falafel, wraps, and more.
Sukh Thai (723 Fulton) has created a gorgeous new destination for Thai food in a reimagined space inspired by the charm of the Mae Klong Railways Market in Thailand. The restaurant is in “soft open” mode now with limited hours.
As of this newsletter’s writing, two restaurants are finishing construction, but have not yet announced opening dates: Kofee NYC (711 Fulton) and a “seafood counter and oyster bar,” Strange Delight (63 Lafayette).
Foodies aren’t the only ones getting new spots to check out! A local barbershop is opening a third Brooklyn outpost, this one in Clinton Hill. Clever Barber will soon debut at 961 Fulton (near Washington). The Language and Laughter Studio, a French preschool and language center in Downtown Brooklyn, will relocate to 475 Clermont in Fort Greene, just in time for their fall classes in September.
SAVE THE DATE!
Join BROOKLYN MUSIC SCHOOL, MoCADA, TATTER, FORT GREENE PARK CONSERVANCY, and others for an engaging conversation at Greenlight Bookstore on April 17 that examines the city’s responsibility for access to art, culture, and public space for all New Yorkers! RSVP here; follow FAB FULTON social media platforms for details!
SPOTS FOR SPRING SOIREES!
The warm-weather season is near, and that signals graduation gatherings, baby showers, wedding rehearsal dinners, and more! Add these FAB FULTON-area places with gorgeous spaces to your list to consider when looking to book a location for your special event or large parties:
Fritz Cocktail Bar
Bati Kitchen
Black Forest Brooklyn
Peaches Prime
Belli Osteria
Famous Last Words
Endswell
DSK
Dinner Party
Oma Grassa
Fancy Free
Brooklyn Moon
Margot
Fulton Hall
Bar Francis
FREE TAX PREP
Tax season is upon us! IMPACCT Brooklyn is partnering with Community Tax Aid to assist the community this tax season. You can get your taxes prepared at no charge if: you have income up to $35,000 (individual) or $57,000 (family), and no more than $10,300 of your income is from interest, dividends, and capital gains.
No appointment is necessary! Get walk-in assistance on Saturdays through Tax Day (March 2, 9, 23, 30, and April 6, 13) at their offices from 10a – 1p. The address is 226 Lefferts Place (at Franklin), Brooklyn 11238. Go here to see the list of documents to bring with you.
ABOUT FAB FULTON
The Fulton Area Business Alliance (FAB FULTON) is a non-profit organization that advocates for and collaborates with small businesses and property owners along Fulton Street in Brooklyn’s neighborhoods of Fort Greene and Clinton Hill to maintain a safe, clean, and welcoming community while securing resources and partnerships for initiatives that enhance and promote the district.
