The seasonal switch has happened: the leaves are changing, the air is crisp… must be marathon time! Once again, FAB Fulton will help you greet the brave athletes gliding through our district on #FABMile8: look for us on early Sunday, November 5 for posters and cowbells. We’ll also have a donation box set up in Fowler Square Plaza (Fulton and Lafayette) from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for your contributions to the New York Cares Coat Drive. It’s the 35th anniversary of this citywide effort with the goal of getting a warm coat into the hands of every New Yorker who needs one. Let’s help them reach their goal!

ICYMI: Fort Greene was recently named the coolest neighborhood in NYC, as well as one of the Top 40 coolest in the world (#15)!

Click here to read more accolades about Fort Greene, and be sure to check out the larger article that mentions some Fulton Street favorites like Habana Outpost, Greenlight Bookstore, and Urban Glass NYC!

Did you hear? A new dog park recently opened in nearby Prospect Heights, at 595 Dean Street.

The dog run, complete with adjacent green space, is a welcome addition to the area, which has seen a spike in the number of furry friends over the past few years. We hope more developers install similar amenities in the future, to help keep our sidewalks and planted spaces free of pet waste and activity.

Recent openings in the FAB Fulton district include:

A new restaurant has opened at 884 Fulton, the former home of Likkle Dumpling Shop! With this Clinton Hill location, Wei brings their “relaxed restaurant featuring dumplings, buns & other typical Chinese plates,” to our ‘hood, and we are excited! Venture in, welcome them to the neighborhood, and check them out!

Cardinal Gift Shop (116 S. Oxford St.) is now open, just in time for the holiday season! It’s a curated mix of clothing, home decor, gifts, and more, from owner/artist Chelsea Cardinal.

Now open, a Vietnamese pho and milk tea spot: Pho You (920 Fulton)! Their menu features authentic rice noodles and rice dishes, plus several varieties of banh mi (Vietnamese sandwiches). The restaurant has a couple of tables for dining, and of course, they deliver!

And coming soon, a handful of new restaurants poised for openings this fall: storefronts are coming together for a future sushi spot at 1017 Fulton in Clinton Hill, and in Fort Greene, Sukh Thai is setting up shop in the former National Thai location (723 Fulton) and Theodora (restaurant plus a bakery at 7 and 17 Greene) is due to debut in Fort Greene.

Here’s a roundup of news you should know!

• Plaza season is coming to a close; October 31 will be the final open day for Jitu Weusi Plaza, Gates Avenue Plaza, and Fowler Square Plaza, all on the FAB Fulton corridor. No furniture will be placed out for use. Plazas re-open on April 1, 2024.

• As mentioned above, the NYC Marathon is on Sunday, November 5. If your plans don’t include coming out to cheer on the runners, you should know that street closures on Mile 8 (down Lafayette) will be in effect from 7:30 a.m. until approximately 2:50 p.m. And if you will be out and about in the area, be aware that you can safely cross Lafayette Avenue on foot up until about 8:25 a.m. when the lead wheelchair participants are expected. The pro women should reach our area at approximately 9:20 a.m.; the pro men, around 9:40 a.m.

• The next NYPD 88th Precinct Community and Youth Meeting is set for Tuesday, November 14 at 7 p.m. The location is the French-Speaking Baptist Church, at 209 Clermont (enter on the Vanderbilt side).

• Temps will fall soon, but we still must be diligent about rat activity. Attend an in-person Rat Academy for the 35th District on Monday, December 4 from 5 – 7 p.m., at the Brooklyn Public Library Central Branch (10 Grand Army Plaza). Register in advance here.

• Make some green by going green! Earn a $100 incentive credit on your NYC DEP water bill by enrolling in autopay and signing up for monthly e-billing—no more paper bills! This limited-time opportunity will only run until Nov. 15 so to learn more, go here.

• Street parking meter fees in Brooklyn are set to increase on November 9. The rates will increase by at least 20%, taking effect on a rolling basis, and all costs will vary by location, demand, and duration of parking. Parking for an hour in business districts outside of Manhattan, like downtown Brooklyn, will now cost $2.50 and $5.00 for the second hour. Neighborhood Retail Districts will charge $2.00 for an hour and $3.00 for the second. Read more here.

• Participatory budgeting is back! Help the city council decide how to spend part of a $1M public budget. Ideas can be submitted from now through Friday, November 10th; eligible ideas must be capital projects (infrastructure) that benefit the public (not private entities), cost at least $50,000, and have a lifespan of at least 5 years. Learn more and submit your idea here! (You can also see the ideas your neighbors have submitted and support them, too!)

Saturday, November 25, spend some time spending your holiday dollars locally! Small Business Saturday once again invites shoppers to support and patronize our area’s local merchants and businesses. Stop by the FAB Fulton tent on Fowler Square Plaza from 12-3 p.m. and pick up swag and snacks to get you in the shopping mood! And, join in the holiday caroling with Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church, singing classic tunes of the season! (You can also bring your gently used warm coats to donate to the New York Cares coat drive; we’ll have our collection box out on the plaza.)