Fulton Mall
| Company type | Business improvement district |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail, commercial real estate |
| Headquarters | Brooklyn, New York City , United States |
Area served | Downtown Brooklyn, Brooklyn, New York City |
| Products | Retail space, shopping mall |
Template:Other uses
Template:Use mdy dates
Template:Use American English
Template:Attached KML
Fulton Street extends as a major east–west artery across northern Brooklyn, New York City. Its western starting point is located at the junction of Adams Street and Joralemon Street in Brooklyn Heights, continuing eastward through neighborhoods such as East New York and Cypress Hills. Upon reaching the boundary with Queens, Fulton Street transitions into 91st Avenue, which terminates at 84th Street in Woodhaven.
History
This street bears the name of Robert Fulton; it shares its name with a similarly titled street in Manhattan—connected historically by Fulton’s steam ferry services. Before the establishment of the Fulton Ferry monopoly, for approximately a century, this route served as the Ferry Road traversing Jamaica Pass. Even earlier, prior to any ferry operations, it functioned as a Native American trail leading to the Hempstead Plains. The original path originated at the Fulton Ferry Landing, ascending southward through Brooklyn Heights past Brooklyn Borough Hall to its current starting point at Adams Street. Portions of the initial Fulton Street remain today as Old Fulton Street within Brooklyn Heights and Dumbo, as well as Cadman Plaza West in Downtown Brooklyn. The stretch that once passed Borough Hall has since been converted into a pedestrian promenade.
Route
The current Fulton Street begins with the Fulton Mall, stretching from Adams Street to Flatbush Avenue. Beyond Flatbush Avenue, it serves as a principal thoroughfare through Downtown Brooklyn, Fort Greene, and Clinton Hill. Upon reaching Franklin Avenue, Fulton Street transforms into the main street of Bedford–Stuyvesant. At Broadway Junction in East New York, the street is briefly interrupted by the intersection of Broadway and Jamaica Avenue, but it resumes on the opposite side as a one-way residential road passing through East New York and Cypress Hills. Near Norwood Avenue, it becomes a two-way street again, continuing to the Queens border at Elderts Lane in Woodhaven, Queens. There, it changes into 91st Avenue, which extends until 84th Street in Queens.
On March 10, 2005, much of Fulton Street—from Rockaway Avenue in Bedford-Stuyvesant to Elm Place in Downtown Brooklyn—was officially co-named Harriet Ross Tubman Avenue in honor of the former enslaved person and abolitionist. This dedication coincided with the anniversary of her death, which is recognized as "Harriet Tubman Day of Commemoration" by New York State.
Transportation
Several subway services operate along Fulton Street:
- The former elevated BMT Fulton Street Line once ran atop Fulton Street. This was replaced east of Washington Avenue by the New York City Subway's underground IND Fulton Street subway line (Template:NYCS trains).
- The elevated BMT Jamaica Line (Template:NYCS trains) runs above Fulton Street between Broadway Junction and Crescent Street.
The following bus routes cover the corridor:
- The Template:NYC bus link operates along Fulton west of Alabama Avenue, with service toward Alabama provided via East New York Avenue.
- Starting from Adams Street at the corridor’s western terminus, the Template:NYC bus link travels to Greene Avenue; the Template:NYC bus link serves Classon Avenue (Ridgewood Terminal) or Grand Avenue (Downtown Brooklyn); and the Template:NYC bus link runs to Lafayette Avenue (Catalpa/Metro) or from DeKalb Avenue (Downtown Brooklyn).
- The Template:NYC bus link provides service toward Fulton Street from Bedford Avenue to Franklin Avenue before turning south to end at Lefferts Place.
- Northbound Template:NYC bus link local buses run between New York Avenue and Bedford Avenue; other B44 routes cross Fulton.
- The Template:NYC bus link heads toward Lefferts Gardens from Tompkins Avenue to Brooklyn Avenue, while service toward Greenpoint operates from Kingston Avenue to Throop Avenue.
- The Template:NYC bus link serves passengers traveling to JFK Airport between Marcus Garvey Boulevard and Albany Avenue.
- Northbound Template:NYC bus link and westbound Template:NYC bus link run from Broadway to Eastern Parkway; eastbound Q24 continues from Van Sinderen Avenue to East New York Avenue, while southbound B20 follows East New York Avenue across Fulton Street to Pennsylvania Avenue.
Fulton Mall
Fulton Mall is a pedestrian and transit mall situated in Downtown Brooklyn, extending along Fulton Street from Flatbush Avenue to Adams Street. This commercial corridor hosts approximately 230 retail outlets and features dedicated lanes exclusively for bus traffic. Throughout the mall's entire stretch, only buses, commercial vehicles, local delivery trucks, and emergency responders have street access. Centrally located within the mall is an open public area known as Albee Square.
History
During the period preceding the rise of enclosed shopping centers, Fulton Street experienced significant commercial vitality, anchored by prominent department stores such as Abraham & Straus, Frederick Loeser & Co., and A. I. Namm & Son. The mall's current incarnation began in the 1970s after persistent advocacy by local merchants convinced city officials to implement a revitalization plan. This initiative included reducing the street's width, expanding sidewalks, and establishing a largely vehicle-free zone for shoppers—permitting only buses and essential service vehicles.[1] In the early 1980s, architect Lee Harris Pomeroy was commissioned to redesign the space, creating street furniture and infrastructure such as large freestanding canopies, vendor kiosks, directory and telephone booths, as well as high mast lighting.[2] Pomeroy also developed a comprehensive graphics program encompassing informational, directional, and street signage. Completed in 1984 at a cost of $24 million, this renovation earned an Albert S. Bard Award from the City Club of New York.[3] Despite these improvements, initial tenant occupancy remained low.[4] In 2024, another refurbishment commenced with an $8 million budget focused on enhancing the mall by installing new benches and planting trees.[5]
The Fulton Mall vicinity is served by multiple subway stations including Template:Stn, Template:Stn, Template:Stn, Template:Stn, and Template:Stn, along with numerous bus routes.[6][7] It ranks as New York City's third-largest commercial hub following Herald Square and a section of Madison Avenue.[8] Significant investments have been made by leading Brooklyn retail real estate figures such as Stanley Chera, Albert Laboz, Joseph Jemal, and members of the Eli Gindi.[9][10][11]
Developments
Fulton Mall hosts prominent retailers including Macy's, H&M, Gap, GameStop, Foot Locker, Modell's Sporting Goods, and Finish Line. The area is managed by the Fulton Mall Improvement Association, which serves as the local business improvement district. According to their data, daily foot traffic in Fulton Mall ranged from 100,000 to 125,000 visitors in 2003. This commercial hub has encouraged further development nearby, such as the City Point project, and has emerged as the priciest location for retail operations in downtown Brooklyn. Retail rental rates on Fulton Street were reported at $301 per square foot in 2016, increasing to $326 per square foot in 2017.
The Macy's branch located at 422 Fulton Street was originally the flagship store for Abraham & Straus. Constructed in 1933, the building showcases an Art Deco design by Starrett & Van Vleck. Prior to Macy’s occupancy, it functioned as the showroom for the W.C. Vosburgh Manufacturing Company. As of 2017, the structure is undergoing a $194 million transformation led by Tishman Speyer, which includes adding 10 floors of Class A office space. Macy’s itself is also investing in renovations within its portion of the building.
Situated on Fulton Mall, the Offerman Building was erected in 1893 by Henry Offerman, a sugar industry entrepreneur. Its design reflects the Romanesque Revival style and initially featured retail outlets on the ground level. The Offerman Building received designation as a New York City Historic Landmark in 2005 and had been converted into a residential complex with 121 units by 2017. Directly opposite stands another city landmark, the A. I. Namm & Son Department Store.
See also
References
External links
