Amid the hardhats and hammers at bustling development Brooklyn Station on Riverside, you may be surprised to see pencil drawings, paintbrushes and water cans.
As the remainder of the center is built out with popular retail shops and a cluster of unique eateries, an important art element is also underway. Locally based 28-year-old artist David Nackashi was commissioned to create two expansive murals, which begin to build a connection from past to present.
Each mural is inspired by photographs of streetcars that once crisscrossed the present-day area, honoring the rich history of the Brooklyn neighborhood. The first replicates a black-and-white photo dating back to 1915, depicting a stopped trolley with two men. Sprawling a sidewall of Corner Bakery Café, it is easily visible to passersby on busy Riverside Avenue — formerly Commercial Street in the early 1900s. Nackashi completed it in less than a month and soon begins on a bustling historic street scene with two streetcars, near The Pink Nickel boutique.
“We are excited to continue to add to the cultural homage of the area where our newest shopping center located,” said Patrick McKinley, Senior Leasing Agent. “A mixture of old and new has been an important goal for us and the City throughout the development process.”
Don’t miss this short time-lapse video of Nackashi’s first mural going up:
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