Neighborhood Guide

Downtown Brooklyn


Downtown Brooklyn is the third largest central business district in New York City (following Midtown Manhattan and Lower Manhattan), and is located in the northwestern section of the borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood is known for its office and residential buildings, such as the Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower and the MetroTech Center office complex, that give the area its own unique skyline. Since the rezoning of Downtown Brooklyn in 2004, the area is undergoing a transformation, with $9 billion of private investment and $300 million in public improvements underway. Downtown Brooklyn is connected with Manhattan by the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges. The neighborhood has extensive public transportation accessibility; it is served by the New York City Subway by the 2, 3, 4, 5, A, C, F, G, B, D, M, N, Q, and R lines, many one stop from Manhattan. The Long Island Rail Road stops at the Atlantic Terminal, located at the intersection of Atlantic and Flatbush Avenues. Currently, a $130 million capital project to connect the Lawrence Street subway station (M and R trains) and the Jay Street-Borough Hall Station (A, C, F trains) is underway. An underground corridor connecting the stations and new escalator access to the Lawrence Street station are planned, which will allow riders to easily transfer between subway lines. The project also includes renovating the Jay Street station, and is expected to be completed in 2010. Downtown Brooklyn is the civic and commercial downtown center of the former City of Brooklyn, now a borough of 2.5 million people. The area includes MetroTech Center, Brooklyn Borough Hall, the Kings County New York State courthouse, and the central courthouse for the Federal Eastern District of New York. Schools include St. Francis College, St. Joseph's College, Brooklyn Law School, Polytechnic University, New York City College of Technology, and Long Island University. Attractions within the area include the Fulton Mall, Brooklyn Academy of Music and the New York Transit Museum