IDA presents Downtown Achievement Award of Excellence to Downtown Brooklyn Partnership

Brooklyn, NY The International Downtown Association (IDA) recognized Downtown Brooklyn Partnership with the Downtown Achievement Award of Excellence for its resourceful approaches related to its Downtown Brooklyn Public Realm Action Plan. A jury of peer professionals reviewed, deliberated and evaluated all entries in the 2026 Downtown Achievement Awards. The Award of Excellence acknowledges an excellent response to an urban place management challenge, demonstrating application of industry knowledge that exceeds the jury criteria. 

The Downtown Brooklyn Public Realm Action Plan was entered in the category of Planning, Design and Infrastructure, which IDA identifies as one of the seven professional urban place management practice areas. This category features organizational approaches and projects in the areas of downtown master planning, streetscape improvements, sustainable infrastructure and wayfinding.

“It is a great honor to be recognized by the International Downtown Association for our Downtown Brooklyn Public Realm Action Plan,” said Regina Myer, president of Downtown Brooklyn Partnership. “Our plan is rooted in the recognition that neighborhoods need vibrant public spaces to truly thrive, and we hope that downtowns across the world see the Public Realm Action Plan as a replicable framework to transform spaces into beautiful, pedestrian-first corridors like Downtown Brooklyn.”

At the time the Public Realm Action Plan was initiated in 2019, Downtown Brooklyn had grown from a traditional shopping and office district into a dense mixed-use neighborhood that had welcomed an additional 60k residents in the preceding five years. The streetscape of the new neighborhood no longer met the needs of this growing population. Minimal green space, fragmented pedestrian networks, outdated and narrow sidewalks, and traffic conflicts between cyclists, vehicles, and pedestrians compromised mobility, safety, and quality of life. The Downtown Brooklyn Public Realm Action Plan, developed in partnership with WXY architecture + urban design and BIG, sought to address these challenges. 

By incorporating input from businesses, residents, major institutions, and community partners, the plan creates a framework that emphasizes pedestrian safety, sustainability, and accessibility while acknowledging the complex needs of a thriving downtown. The plan not only provides a vision, but its key recommendations and city-approved design toolkit have been applied in practice - introducing the largest shared-street network in New York City, upgrading the Fulton Mall, creating a new park – Abolitionist Place - and partnering with developers to implement signature street design that brings pedestrian space, new plantings, and generous seating areas. The plan provides a roadmap of achievable upgrades that can be replicated in other downtowns with similar competing uses.

Key outcomes of the Public Realm Action Plan include:

Full block design pilot in partnership with Tishman Speyer for the 11 Hoyt development (Hoyt, Livingston, + Elm). Similar adoption of streetscape designs at The Alloy Block (State St. and Flatbush Ave.), and The Brook (Flatbush Ave. and Fulton St.).

Fulton Mall Revitalization Project. An $8 million project in partnership with NYC Department of Parks to rebuild sidewalks with permeable pavers, add curvilinear benches and new planting areas to create a more welcoming streetscape at Brooklyn’s busiest shopping district. 

Abolitionist Place: the popular new 1.3 acre park in the heart of Downtown Brooklyn that provides recreation and gathering space for residents, workers, and school children. 

Expanding shared streets network: in partnership with NYC DOT, DBP has adopted a key recommendation of the Public Realm Action Plan to implement the Shared Street model to Downtown Brooklyn’s core streets.

New green infrastructure, including plantings and porous surfaces, has improved stormwater management and helped mitigate urban heat.

“Downtown Brooklyn Partnership has demonstrated skillful application of urban place management principles with their project, Downtown Brooklyn Public Realm Action Plan,” said David Downey, IDA president and CEO. “The Downtown Brooklyn Public Realm Action Plan should serve as a framework to all member communities within IDA.”

IDA convened this September in Toronto for Intersections: Where Districts, Disciplines & Ideas Converge, a three-day conference to discuss emerging trends in place management. Regina Myer, president of Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, was recognized for DBP’s award-winning project during the Downtown Achievement Awards ceremony at the 72^nd Annual Conference & Marketplace, September 1-3, 2026. IDA’s Annual Conference & Marketplace is the premier gathering for professional place managers and urban champions creating vibrant and healthy cities around the world. The conference features educational sessions, Master Talks (short keynotes from industry leaders), marketplace exhibitors and networking opportunities.