Downtown Brooklyn, the Podcast & Walking Tour
Downtown Brooklyn is full of interesting historic architecture, but to many the neighborhood is still unknown, relative to say Brooklyn Heights or Fort Greene. The folks over at the Fulton Mall Improvement Association and Metrotech BID have created an easy guide to check out the area’s better known sites in the form of a walking tour and podcast.
The tour covers the sites of the neighborhood, from Gage & Tollner to Junior’s, and passes through Metrotech. One interesting tidbit is that according to the tour, “the urban department store was invented on Fulton St.”–the south side of the street was protected from the afternoon sun and allowed for viewing the goods easily. Albee Square is also named after Edward Albee’s father, huh. The best line though is where the distinguished historian narrator says in a rich baritone, “the Albee Square Mall was a major staple for urban culture in the 1970s and 80s, and is the topic of a song by old-school rapper, Biz Markie.” Overall, the tour’s theme is that “Downtown Brooklyn has a rich past that you can experience, if you know where to look.” It’s narrated by John Manbeck, editor of the book The Neighborhoods of Brooklyn. Check it out at FMIA’s site.
