Reopening of NYC's Brooklyn Banks revives cornerstone of skate culture

The Brooklyn Banks, a storied skateboarding plaza beneath the Brooklyn Bridge, has reopened after more than a decade, reviving what advocates call one of the most important spaces in New York skate culture.

The space became a hub in the 1980s, drawing skaters from across the five boroughs. “This is kind of like a central meeting point,” said Steve Rodriguez, co-founder of Gotham Park and a lifelong skater.

Rodriguez says the site’s openness allowed the culture to take root. “This was a space where you were allowed to skate, where you didn't get kicked out. So the culture was able to incubate here.”

Gotham Park, a nonprofit organization working to revitalize the underutilized land beneath the Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge, led the effort to reopen the site.

#TonyHawk #BrooklynBanks #Skateboard #Skateboarding #NewYorkCity #news

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Post from Reuters on August 29, 2025

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