CB7 weighs Open Streets, votes on co-naming during transportation meeting

Andre Rickman

CB7 weighs Open Streets, votes on co-naming during transportation meeting
Sunset Park resident Alondra Sercano speaks at the CB7 Transportation Committee meeting on Dec. 10, 2025, voicing support for the School Open Streets proposal on 54th Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues. NYC DOT lists street closure times between 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. for LEEP Charter School. Photo by Andre Rickman

In early December, Brooklyn Community Board 7’s Transportation Committee gathered at the board’s district office at 4201 Fourth Avenue to review several proposals focused on street safety and local recognition.

The meeting, scheduled from 6:30 to 8 p.m., included a proposed co-naming for Joe Longobardi on Prospect Park West between Windsor Place and 16th Street in Windsor Terrace, a review of community feedback on NYC DOT’s School Open Streets on 54th Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues for LEEP Charter School, and discussion of priority safety requests near parks, schools, and other sensitive locations.

The meeting opened on a warm, emotional note, with a unanimous vote to co-name a street in honor of Joe Longobardi, remembered not only as a dedicated Community Board member but also as a cherished neighborhood business owner.

His daughter, Gina Longobardi, spoke briefly, sharing how her father had a rare ability to make everyone feel like the most important person in the room. That sentiment set a thoughtful tone as Transportation Committee Chair Katie Walsh followed with remarks on how existing regulations, and any new conditions the board might consider, could help protect the community’s quality of life.

The conversation then turned toward the issue that drew much of the community’s attention: feedback on the DOT’s Open Streets initiative on 54th Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues, bringing the focus into the broader theme of street safety for CB7.

Walsh noted that the DOT’s School Open Streets initiative is intended to accommodate children, especially during recess. “It sets up the way the street closes down to help with drop-off and to facilitate safe access,” Walsh stated.

A representative from LEEP Charter School, Bernard Washington, was also present to address concerns raised by Sunset Park residents. He focused in particular on explaining the process that allowed this initiative to move forward.

“This is our first year within the Open Streets program,” Washington said, adding that the school submitted its application in late March and followed the required outreach and compliance process over the months that followed.

Community support, according to Washington, was not an issue; by spring 2025 the school had received numerous letters of support from local businesses and community organizations, including the United Senior Citizens of Sunset Park.

For many residents, transportation reviews like this represent more than bureaucratic steps. They directly shape how people navigate Sunset Park’s already busy streets, bike lanes, and school zones. Community Board meetings often serve as one of the few opportunities for locals to voice concerns about speeding, congestion, truck routes, and pedestrian safety, all issues that routinely surface in the neighborhood’s dense, high-traffic environment.

With the floor opened to residents, several stepped forward to voice their support for the Open Streets initiative, emphasizing its potential to improve safety for children and the broader community.

Celia Sercano, a Sunset Park resident, spoke about how the initiative could impact the safety of her children. “It’s really important to support the Open Streets initiative because being outside is crucial for kids’ growth,” Sercano said.

Celia’s daughter, Alondra, also spoke in support of the School Open Streets initiative, emphasizing the impact it could have on children in the neighborhood.

“We want this space based on going to a nearby park that could be dangerous,” she stated. “It’s impossible to get freedom if we don't know where to go.”

While no vote was taken on Open Streets, the meeting highlighted the community’s focus on street safety and ensured residents’ feedback was heard.