I have always loved the Ditmas Park area, and finally got to explore a few blocks south from Cortelyou to Newkirk. Newkirk Plaza is a gem! I can’t say that I’ve seen anything like it in NYC. It’s straight out of London – not central London, but the village neighborhoods a couple zones out. 

I’m very jealous, but hope to see it more this Spring. Congrats on the beautiful space!

C: 

It would be great if the metal high fence on the bridge over the tracks was replaced by the nice iron fence inside the plaza.  The view of the entire plaza is cut off from Newkirk Avenue.  The change would be huge. How can we make this happen?

Also, note the new doors on the station entrance! 

Very true! That corrugated metal barrier is so ugly!! Getting rid of it would completely change the face of the north end of the plaza. 

 It’s a made-up term I use to describe the area south of the “typical” Ditmas Park stretch along and parallel to Cortelyou.  If you don’t buy it, then I guess it’s nowhere…

I never understand how this is not a plaza full of outdoor cafes

The stores are in the neighboring private buildings, which front on Marlborough or East 16th Street.  The station itself is MTA  (state) property.  There’s nothing keeping the MTA from entering into a franchise or concession agreement to allow a retaurant to put chairs and tables out.  Unfortunately in most places the plaza isn’t all that wide, given the volume of foot traffic it gets during rush hour.  I really wish they had decked over the express tracks during the renovation.  It could have made a really great neighborhood public space, but that probably would have been prohibitively expensive.

I’d give it a week until someone’s car was on the subway tracks.

Newkirk Plaza is zoned C2-4, which allows restaurants.  They would  need a Special Permit and Consumer Affairs license to open a sidewalk cafe, but Newkirk Plaza isn’t a sidewalk.  In fact, as state property, they don’t even have to comply with local zoning if the property is used for public purposes, which could be interpreted to include providing commercial amenities to subway riders using the station.