"You are now in the city's newest, most dynamic cultural center. Lincoln Center you are great, but step over baby - it's /*Brooklyn*/!" Markowitz said.
The Brooklyn Borough President is excited for a good reason. At the heart of the Brooklyn Cultural Arts District is the Brooklyn Academy of Music. It is a world famous not-for-profit performing and cinema-arts center that was founded in 1861. A $300 million dollar expansion effort has updated it by creating spaces for opera, screening films and other performances.
"BAM" as it is called, is located 2 to 3 blocks from the station as are the Museum of Contemporary African Diaspora, The Mark Morris Dance Theatre and dozens of other spaces that are dedicated to the arts.
"There are 40 arts and cultural organizations that are based within 7 blocks of here," said Joe Chan of the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership.
Right across the street from the stop is the new home of the /*Nets*/ and over 200 other different events per year. The Barclays Center is taking shape and is slated to be completed by 2012.
About 5 blocks from the station on Schermerhorn St. is Brooklyn's only two Michelin-starred restaurants. During the day it looks like a chef's prepping station, but at night it turns into one of the finest dining experiences in the city, called the Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fair.
But if comfort food is more your style, then Junior's could be for you. Founded in 1950, it is located about 7 blocks from the station.
"It was really good, really good - it was huge, I couldn't eat it all," said Tara Quinonez, a cheesecake lover who came from Texas to try the restaurant's world famous cheesecakes.
Great eats, a new stadium, and world class arts can all be found with 7 blocks of the Atlantic Ave. station in Brooklyn.
