{"id":147374,"date":"2026-02-27T15:12:10","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T15:12:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/147374\/"},"modified":"2026-02-27T15:12:10","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T15:12:10","slug":"city-council-approves-parks-acquisition-of-prospect-farm-amid-bridge-concerns-brooklyn-paper","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/147374\/","title":{"rendered":"City Council approves Parks acquisition of Prospect Farm amid bridge concerns \u2022 Brooklyn Paper"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Prospect Farm members Cassondra Warney, Tom Hinchin, and Tom Angotti continue to push for stronger transparency and community involvement as the city moves forward with acquiring the garden and planning the Seeley Street Bridge reconstruction.<\/p>\n

Photo by Gabriele Holtermann<\/p>\n

After undergoing a rigorous Uniform Land Use Review Procedure<\/a> (ULURP) \u2014 the mandatory public review for major land-use changes in New York City \u2014 the New York City Council on Feb. 24 approved the acquisition of Prospect Farm<\/a>, a nonprofit, cooperative community farm established in 2010 and a registered GreenThumb<\/a> community garden in Windsor Terrace, by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.<\/p>\n

While the owners of the 3,200-square-foot lot on Prospect Avenue, Tom Angotti and Emma Matos Ramos, and community garden members fully supported Parks\u2019 acquisition of the greenspace, they also expressed concern about the New York City Department of Transportation\u2019s planned reconstruction of the Seeley Street Bridge, which borders the garden. The acquisition would make the garden eligible for labor and capital improvements through Parks\u2019 GreenThumb program, including raised beds, fencing, sheds, gazebos, pergolas and internal water-supply infrastructure, depending on funding.<\/p>\n

The single-span bridge, built in 1930, has been deemed \u201cbeyond its useful life\u201d by DOT and requires replacement in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, including construction of an ADA-compliant pedestrian ramp.<\/p>\n

\"\"DOT has deemed the Seeley Street Bridge \u201cbeyond its useful life,\u201d requiring a full replacement.Photo by Gabriele Holtermann \"\"DOT has deemed the Seeley Street Bridge \u201cbeyond its useful life,\u201d requiring a full replacement.Photo by Gabriele Holtermann<\/p>\n

At a meeting between Angotti, Matos Ramos, Parks and a DOT engineer, the agency outlined a possible plan for the bridge. Angotti said he saw a preliminary DOT sketch that included provisions that could negatively affect the garden\u2019s operations, including an ADA-compliant pedestrian ramp that would impact the site.<\/p>\n

Although owners and community members support accessibility improvements, they raised concerns about potential construction of the ADA-compliant ramp along the 100-foot right-of-way (ROW) under DOT jurisdiction. The possible construction of the ramp could block sunlight and direct access to the garden. They also criticized DOT\u2019s lack of engagement with Prospect Farm members and what they described as limited transparency about the project.<\/p>\n

Angotti and garden members stressed that the Prospect Avenue frontage is the garden\u2019s primary source of sunlight, the main entrance for members and visitors, and the most \u201clogical\u201d location for compost bins.<\/p>\n

\"\"The possible construction of an ADA-compliant pedestrian ramp along the 100-foot right-of-way could block sunlight and restrict direct access to the garden.Image courtesy of NYC Parks<\/p>\n

They requested that the acquisition of Prospect Farm include a joint letter<\/a> between Parks and DOT \u2014 incorporated into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) \u2014 committing the agencies to coordinate any planned construction in the garden\u2019s interest, affirm the garden\u2019s continued use of DOT-controlled land along the sidewalk, and proactively engage garden members and the broader community in planning future infrastructure projects.<\/p>\n

At the City Council vote, Council Member Shahana Hanif, whose district includes Windsor Terrace, announced she had received a joint letter from Parks and DOT. The letter, signed by DOT Brooklyn Borough Commissioner Keith Bray and Parks Acting Deputy Commissioner Marit Larson, commits to interagency coordination and meaningful community engagement following the acquisition, including meetings with Community Board 7, local lawmakers, adjacent property owners, and civic and community organizations.<\/p>\n

Hanif said the acquisition not only offered a rare opportunity to preserve a community-built open space as permanent public land but also set a strong standard for cross-agency coordination and public engagement.<\/p>\n

\u201cProspect Farm also sits directly adjacent to the DOT Seeley Street Bridge reconstruction project, which will involve significant design and accessibility considerations,\u201d Hanif said. \u201cBecause of that proximity, strong and binding interagency coordination is essential to ensure that planning for both sites is thoughtful, transparent, and responsive to community needs.\u201d<\/p>\n

She added that the acquisition protects a beloved community farm and ensures a shared greenspace for generations to come.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cThis public ownership secures its long-term environmental stewardship and collective farm model while safeguarding the site from displacement,\u201d Hanif said.
\n\"\"Prospect Farm members worry the DOT\u2019s Seeley Street Bridge reconstruction could negatively impact the garden\u2019s greenspace.Photo by Gabriele Holtermann\n<\/p>\n

Cassondra Warney, president of the Prospect Farm board, expressed gratitude to Hanif\u2019s office for facilitating the joint-letter commitment between DOT and Parks but emphasized that some key provisions sought by Prospect Farm and Community Board 7 were not included.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am deeply grateful that CM Shahana, her wonderful, thoughtful staff, along with Parks and DOT, were able to put a commitment to community engagement regarding Seeley St Bridge in writing,\u201d Warney said in a statement. \u201cThere are some critical pieces Prospect Farm and Community Board 7 asked for that are not in the letter that we will continue pursuing, [such as] having the contents of the joint letter shifted to an MOA around the time of acquisition \u2014 a garden ask \u2014 along with transferring DOT-jurisdictional land along the sidewalk to Parks \u2014 a CB 7 ask. We will be anticipating and ready to engage, along with our Windsor Terrace neighbors, once DOT is ready to engage the community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Angotti added that while he was pleased the land-use review was completed and the action approved, much remained to be done before Prospect Farm could be preserved as a GreenThumb garden.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cWe still need to agree on the terms of the land transfer. DOT\u2019s plans for the bridge are murky and we have seen nothing more than a sketchy outline from DOT,\u201d Angotti said. \u201cWe have yet to hear from our Seeley Street neighbors and all our community gardeners. More critically, we have yet to see any evidence that a bridge replacement is urgent, feasible, and beneficial when compared to other options. In order to move forward, we need to have a much broader discussion and consider other possible alternatives.\u201d<\/p>\n

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