May 2007
A Thursday morning on the Fulton Street Mall at Gallatin Place (behind camera) looking East towards Flatbush Avenue.
My interest in the neighborhood came about as a youngster when my mom would take us with her Downtown for some shopping. At that time, it was too pricy for us. Most shopping was done at discount stores. As an adult, I worked in the store on the right for a very long time. My interest in documenting the area was built in to my vicinity to being here on a daily basis.
The sidewalk fixtures seen here, like the bus stop canopies, street lamps and bumper guards were designed and installed in the early 1980s. In the early days (pre 1940) of Fulton Street in Brooklyn, the street was wider. Enough so that the elevated trains would run on tracks just above this view. This section of Fulton Street was narrowed in the 1980s to handle two-lane traffic for NYC public buses.
In 2004, New York City Government officials rezoned the neighborhood for higher density residential use. That rezoning pushed billions of dollars worth of construction and infrastructure change along with gentrification.
Major retailers on The Mall at this time are Macy's, Dr. Jays, Kay Jewelers, Zale Jewelers, along with small business mom and pop type retailers.
Looks out for future photographs from this series showcasing various changes throughout the last thirty years.