Media Advisory: BQE Mural Walk & Ribbon Cutting

***MEDIA ADVISORY. COVERAGE AND CAMERAS WELCOME***

MEDIA INVITE: Ribbon Cutting for BQE Mural Walk in Brooklyn Heights:  Reclaiming Space Lost to Robert Moses-Era Development

Friday July 11 at 3pm

WHAT:
The Atlantic Avenue BID, in partnership with Thrive Collective and NYC DOT Art, invites press to the ribbon cutting and media preview of the Atlantic Avenue BQE Underpass Murals — a major public art project reclaiming public  space beneath the BQE.

Created by seven local artists, the murals confront the legacy of Robert Moses-era construction, which in the 1940s displaced families, shuttered businesses, and cut Atlantic Avenue off from the waterfront. This project marks a community-led reclamation of that lost space.

WHY IT MATTERS:

• Historic harm, local response: The BQE’s construction through Brooklyn in the 1940s and 1950s devastated neighborhoods and created decades of division. This mural project tells that story and points toward healing.
• Public safety through design: The corridor now features enhanced lighting, improving visibility, walkability, and perceptions of safety, particularly for families, children, and visitors accessing Brooklyn Bridge Park.
• Community renewal: The project reactivates a neglected stretch of infrastructure and reconnects Atlantic Avenue to the waterfront — inviting foot traffic, encouraging local commerce, and promoting shared civic pride.
• Timely urban relevance: As New York City and others reexamine mid-century infrastructure, this local reclamation serves as a model for how public art and community planning can repair harm.

WHEN: Friday, July 11, 3:00 PM – Ribbon Cutting

WHERE: Under the BQE between Atlantic Ave and Sands. St. (access via Atlantic Ave)

AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEW:

• Mural artists: Will Power, Vince Ballentine, Jodi Dareal, Peach Tao, Miki Mu, Christian Penn, Marissa Molina
• Kelly Carroll, Executive Director, Atlantic Avenue BID
• Jeremy Del Rio, Executive Director, Thrive Collective
• State Senator Andrew Gounardes
• Councilmember Lincoln Restler
• NYC Small Business Services Commissioner Dynishal Gross
• Borough President Deputy Kim Council
• Mark Caserta, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce
• Erik Landau, President, Brooklyn Bridge Park
• Local business owners, residents, and neighborhood leaders

VISUAL + COVERAGE OPPORTUNITIES:

• Guided tour of the mural walk
• Striking juxtaposition: bold public art against stark expressway infrastructure
• Foot traffic and families moving safely through the enhanced corridor
• Lighting installations and community-focused design features
• Archival context: stories of displacement and resilience

Press release, mural images, B-roll and artist bios available here.

Reception to follow for guests and media at Montero Bar & Grill, 73 Atlantic Ave A historic neighborhood bar, established in 1939 that was itself moved across the street as a result of BQE construction, reopened in 1947 and now sits adjacent to the revitalized space.

MEDIA RSVP & COVERAGE INQUIRIES: Stacey Sherman | GoodPR
stacey@hellogoodpr.com | 917-656-3665