CROWN HEIGHTS — It's Flatbush, not Funkytown.
Residents perturbed by the funky disco-era metal trees at Flatbush and Ocean avenues may finally see some progress in the ongoing effort to rehab Prospect Park's gritty eastern gateway.
Installation artist Dave Eppley won a $2,000 "Arterventions" grant to update the time-ravaged trees, and could begin repainting them as soon as this spring. The makeover is part of a proposed project that would convert a current Transit Authority employee parking lot into a public plaza and otherwise beautify the eyesore intersection.
"This is the gateway of Flatbush," said Michael Cetera, chair of Community Board 9's parks and recreation committee. "Rather than look at a chain link fence with razor ribbon, we thought it’d be much nicer to have a plaza."
The board voted to on Tuesday night to send a letter to the Department of Citywide Administrative Services and the New York City Transit Authority requesting that the parking lot be moved to make way for a textured pavement plaza featuring trees, planters, and outdoor cafe-style seating.
Design firm Open Space Initiatives has already drawn up plans for the space, which sits at the intersection of three of Brooklyn's busiest thoroughfares.
