✰PREMIUM Atlantic Avenue BID and Thrive Collective revamp BQE underpass with new murals
Seven artists transform the Atlantic Avenue BQE underpass to beautify and celebrate Atlantic Avenue’s historic relationship to the waterfront
Ribbon-cutting honors new mural
The artwork on display. Photo courtesy of the Atlantic Avenue BID
Special from the Atlantic Avenue BID
July 10, 2025
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ATLANTIC AVENUE — A ceremonial ribbon-cutting will take place at the historic base of Atlantic Avenue on Friday at 3 p.m. Numerous elected officials, as well as the head of Brooklyn Bridge Park, will celebrate two brand-new murals that welcome all traffic passing beneath the portal that has become one of the official entrances to Brooklyn Bridge Park.
The birth of the murals is an inspiring story. The Atlantic Avenue Business Improvement District (BID) was awarded funding to redesign the Atlantic Avenue BQE underpass with murals via a $60,000 Public Realm Grant from the New York City Department of Small Business Services (SBS).
Working with Thrive Collective and NYC DOT Art, community input revealed themes of connectivity, urban renewal, the fortitude and perseverance of Atlantic Avenue’s Brooklyn neighborhoods, industrial heritage, immigrant and cultural histories, and the unique built environment of the corridor. Located at a crucial regional nexus, the transformational artwork will reach tens of thousands of people who pass through daily.
Constructed throughout the late 1940s, Robert Moses’ BQE displaced thousands of people, severed the connection between Atlantic Avenue and the waterfront, and created a car-centric interchange in the midst of a vibrant, pedestrian-heavy street. Seven artists were selected by Thrive Collective to build on the themes to interpret and interrogate this complicated past while celebrating the future of the major NYC thoroughfare.
The artwork on display. Photo courtesy of the Atlantic Avenue BID
The Atlantic Avenue Murals celebrate the people who make their neighborhood and a neighborhood that shapes its people. Along the avenue, neighbors find common ground and cultivate community, befitting this great city. The artwork highlights the gateway’s ebullient use today as a gateway for families, dogs, shoppers and visitors to Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn Bridge Park and the ferry at Pier 6.
The south wall features six artworks and explores the industrial and working waterfront past of Atlantic Avenue, the maritime life that has returned to New York Harbor, local outdoor recreation and references to local businesses, cultures and cuisines. The artworks are “Dockyards,” by Will Power; “Industrious,” by Vince Ballentine; “Restore,” by Jodi Dareal; “Biodiverse,” by Peach Tao; “Recreate,” by Miki Mu; and “Reframe,” by Christian Penn.
The north wall is a celebration of people and the community’s continued existence despite the fractures caused by the BQE. This mural, “The Avenue,” by artist Marissa Molina, spotlights the power of neighborhood voices during land use changes and infuses it with the architecture that survived and was preserved as landmarks within Atlantic Avenue’s four historic districts, highlighting the 60th anniversary of the NYC Landmarks Law.
The artwork on display. Photo courtesy of the Atlantic Avenue BID
“This transformative project establishes a venerable gateway to Brooklyn’s Atlantic Avenue, said Kelly Carroll, executive director of the Atlantic Avenue BID. “Not only is it a collection of stunning public art, it increases foot traffic to our small, family-owned businesses, improves perceptions of safety with its improved lighting and serves as a reclamation of public space for the community, by the community.”
“Thrive Collective creates hope and opportunity through public art in NYC. It’s our pleasure to collaborate with the BID and DOT to install murals in this historic location that celebrate the people who fill this community with hope and provide opportunities for their neighbors,” said Thrive Collective Executive Director Jeremy Del Rio.
The artwork on display. Photo courtesy of the Atlantic Avenue BID
“As long as the BQE remains a part of Brooklyn’s infrastructure, its walls should be used to celebrate and honor Brooklynites, particularly those whose neighborhoods were fractured and displaced by the expressway,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. “I am so grateful to the Atlantic Avenue BID for pursuing this public art initiative and to NYC SBS for providing funding for the project. I’d also like to give a very special shoutout to Thrive Collective and the muralists who thoughtfully and beautifully captured the stories that Brooklynites carry up and down Atlantic Avenue and beyond.”
“Public art enlivens New York City communities and transforms its infrastructure to be even more beautiful and vibrant,” said NYC Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “We are grateful for the Atlantic Avenue BID and Thrive Collective’s partnership in bringing this beautiful artwork to millions of New Yorkers and visitors.”
Councilmember Lincoln Restler stated, “I’m grateful that the Atlantic Ave BID is spearheading this project to beautify the BQE underpass with new murals and lights to welcome pedestrians to Atlantic Ave and revitalize this drab stretch.”
The artwork on display. Photo courtesy of the Atlantic Avenue BID
“Atlantic Avenue is one of the most traversed streets in Brooklyn, and I’m thrilled that the Atlantic Avenue BID is using this opportunity to confront and reclaim the corridor’s complex history through public art,” said Councilmember Shahana Hanif. “From its industrial roots and immigrant narratives to its vibrant neighborhoods and distinctive architecture, these murals will reflect the layered identity of Atlantic Avenue and Brooklyn. My deepest gratitude to the Thrive Collective and the seven talented artists who are transforming this space with creativity and care.”
“These beautiful murals are exactly the type of thing that make New York so special,” said State Sen. Andrew Gounardes. “They take infrastructure that has historically divided our community and transform it into a space to celebrate the local artists and culture that form the core of Brooklyn’s identity. This new artwork also helps turn the underpass into a real gateway and point of connection between the small businesses on Atlantic Avenue and the waterfront. Thanks to the Atlantic Avenue BID and all the local artists for their important work.”
“This mural is more than just art — it’s a vibrant reflection of the neighborhood’s spirit and history and transforms the approach to a major park entrance into a more welcoming gateway,” said Eric Landau, Brooklyn Bridge Park president. “Thank you to the Atlantic Avenue BID, the Department of Small Business Services and the artists of Thrive Collective for their commitment to making public spaces more welcoming and inspiring and celebrating the people and stories that make this community unique.”
The artwork on display. Photo courtesy of the Atlantic Avenue BID
“Hats off to the Atlantic Avenue BID and the artists of Thrive Collective for beautifying and elevating this long-neglected part of one of the neighborhood’s most important and beloved corridors, ” said Lara Birnback, executive director of the Brooklyn Heights Association. “We very much appreciate how this new public art celebrates the enduring vibrancy of Brooklyn’s people and places, while acknowledging the losses created by the construction of the BQE.”
“Thank you to the Atlantic Avenue BID and the talented artists for bringing new life to the underpass, ” said Amanda Nichols, president of the Cobble Hill Association. “We look forward to continuing to collaborate with the BID and our community partners to reconnect our neighborhoods to the waterfront and to making these intersections safer for all who live, work and visit here.”
“Being surrounded by these lovely murals will energize and greatly improve this important gateway connection from the waterfront to our communities,” said Linda DeRosa, president of the Willowtown Association. “Congratulations to the Atlantic Avenue BID.”
The artwork on display. Photo courtesy of the Atlantic Avenue BID
About NYC DOT Art
The New York City Department of Transportation’s Art Program (NYC DOT Art) partners with community-based, nonprofit organizations and professional artists to present temporary public art on NYC DOT property throughout the five boroughs for up to eleven months.
Artists transform streets with colorful murals, dynamic projections and eye-catching sculptures. Sidewalks, fences, triangles, medians, bridges, jersey barriers, step streets, public plazas and pedestrianized spaces serve as canvases and foundations for temporary art. Since 2008, NYC DOT Art has produced over 475 temporary artworks citywide. For more information, visit nyc.gov/dotart and @nyc_DOTArt on Instagram.
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