Jewel Streets Neighborhood Plan

The Jewel Streets Neighborhood Plan

We are launching an area-wide affordable housing and community resilience planning process in the Jewel Streets. Our goal is to develop concrete strategies to alleviate flooding, redevelop vacant city-owned land, increase housing stability, and create economic opportunity. Join us!

Why Do the Jewel Streets Need a Plan?

In February 2022, residents and local leaders from the Jewel Streets sent City agencies a letter requesting a community-driven process to address longstanding infrastructure challenges and promote environmental justice. In April 2022, Former Councilmember Charles Barron, the East New York Community Land Trust, and Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation formed a coalition of local residents and City agencies to develop solutions.

Since then, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the Department of Sanitation (DSNY), and the New York City Police Department (NYPD) have installed new sewers at key intersections, cleaned up vacant lots, and ticketed and towed illegally parked cars. These important quality of life improvements have already made a significant impact, and the City is committed to continuing these short-term projects. But a long-term, holistic plan is needed to address the root causes of the area’s major challenges.

A lack of sidewalks and cross walks can make it difficult for pedestrians to get around the neighborhood.

Illegal industrial uses along Blake Avenue.

Building on this ongoing collaboration between local stakeholders, elected officials, and City partners, HPD is launching a planning process that will connect infrastructure needs with long-term, resilient neighborhood design.

What are the Jewel Streets?

The Jewel Streets refer to the north-south streets named after various jewels: Ruby, Emerald, Amber, and Sapphire Streets. The 12-block neighborhood straddles East New York, Brooklyn and Lindenwood, Queens and is known to residents as “The Hole” due to its sunken streets. The low-lying area’s high water table and lack of comprehensive stormwater and sanitary sewer infrastructure contribute to year-round flooding, even on sunny days.

Flooding is a critical concern for many residents and is connected to other issues. While originally planned as a residential neighborhood, the lack of sewer infrastructure makes it costly to maintain or construct a home. Today, most streets contain open industrial uses or overgrown, vacant lots, including a 17-acre City-owned site. And though wild plants grow tall along street edges, industrial uses and septic tank leaks have contaminated the land and groundwater.

Typical flood conditions at the corner of Blake Avenue and Amber Street.

The vacant 17-acre City-owned site two blocks south of Linden Boulevard.

Getting around safely is also a challenge. Pedestrians have few sidewalks or crosswalks, and it is typical to see tractor trailers, RVs and other abandoned vehicles stored on the street. Linden Boulevard, an eight-lane commercial roadway, cuts across the Jewel Streets, and Conduit Avenue separates the neighborhood from the closest subway station. While these wide, busy streets provide important connections outside of the neighborhood, they also create barriers due to their width and dangerous crossings.

These various conditions are examples of historic disinvestment and environmental injustice in the area. HPD’s planning process is an opportunity to develop solutions to these interconnected problems.

Goals

HPD’s planning process is organized around five main goals:

1. Reduce flooding now and in the future by building resilient, green infrastructure and improving community resilience. Measures to reduce constant flooding, such as potential new open space or resident support services, could improve the health and safety of residents.
2. Outline a community-supported vision for City-owned land. The 17-acre, City-owned vacant lot in the neighborhood could accommodate a range of potential uses to better serve residents’ needs, such as resilient and safe affordable housing, retail, and open space.
3. Improve street infrastructure, pedestrian safety, and connectivity to surrounding neighborhoods. Accessible connections to homes, retail, and public transportation along Linden Boulevard and Conduit Avenue will make it easier, safer, and more pleasant to walk and bike around.
4. Facilitate the creation of jobs, community services, and amenities. New jobs, including green jobs, and retail could provide opportunities for residents to work, shop, and receive services in the neighborhood.
5. Develop a long-term land use plan for the Jewel Streets. A long-term plan could guide where additional resilient and safe housing, retail, and jobs are developed and reduce harmful industrial uses to create a better quality of life for residents.

How to Get Involved!

A Collaborative Planning Process

The planning process will build on previous work in the area to engage stakeholders around concrete interagency solutions.

HPD, and agency partners DEP and the Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice (MOCEJ), will hold several public workshops to envision and shape the Plan. Between workshops, you can engage with us at our tabling events or contribute to the public comments map.

Do you live or work in the Jewel Streets? We want your input!

Sign up for our emails to learn about future events.

Are you a renter or homeowner looking for help? 

Ask your question at one of HPD’s upcoming housing resource events. Learn about renter resources here and homeowner resources here

Sign Up to Receive Updates

Want to know when the workshops or resource events are coming to the neighborhood? Share your email with us and we’ll share regular project updates.