{{short description|Avenue in Brooklyn, New York}} {{distinguish|South Fountain Avenue Historic District}} {{Use American English|date=May 2025}} {{use mdy dates|date=May 2016}} {{attached KML|display=title}} [[File:Cypress Hill Houses NYCHA jeh.JPG|thumb|Public housing along Fountain Avenue]] '''Fountain Avenue''' is a north–south running street in [[Brooklyn]], [[New York (state)|New York]]. Traffic on the avenue is bidirectional for most of its length.

Its north end is at the intersection of [[Atlantic Avenue (New York City)|Atlantic Avenue]] and [[Conduit Avenue]]. The south end, previously a swampland-like landfill near the Erskine Street exit off the [[Belt Parkway]],<ref>{{cite web | date =April 2, 1999 | url =http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/html/press_releases/99-19pr.shtml | title =City Makes Improvements to Pennsylvania and Fountain Avenue Landfills | publisher =D.E.P. News | access-date =2011-12-02 | archive-date =March 19, 2021 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20210319212526/https://www1.nyc.gov/html/dep/html/press_releases/99-19pr.shtml | url-status =live }}</ref> has been developed as part of the neighborhood of [[Spring Creek, Brooklyn|Spring Creek]] and [[Shirley Chisholm State Park]], built on the former Fountain Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue landfills. For many years, this segment of Fountain Avenue, between Flatlands Avenue and the Belt Parkway, was undeveloped and used primarily as a site for illegal drag racing.

== Description == At its north end, Fountain Avenue is just a side street, carrying one lane of southbound traffic only. Between Sutter Avenue and [[Linden Boulevard]], Fountain Avenue is a six-lane, undivided roadway. South of Linden Boulevard, the avenue gains a median. The median continues past [[Flatlands Avenue]], ending at Seaview Avenue. Between Flatlands Avenue and Seaview Avenue, Fountain Avenue borders the newly developed Spring Creek Neighborhood and the Brooklyn DDSO office to the West, and the Spring Creek AWPCP to the east.

Fountain Avenue continues through past Seaview Avenue, where it curves under the [[Belt Parkway]]. Prior to 2021, the publicly accessible portion of Fountain Avenue ran to a dead end just south of the Belt Parkway, at the site of the former Fountain Avenue Landfill. The Fountain Avenue Landfill has since been developed for public use as part of [[Shirley Chisholm State Park]]. The Fountain Avenue section of the park opened in 2021. Currently, Fountain Avenue now ends as part of a circular parking lot and maintenance facility for the State Park.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/05/27/nyregion/two-killed-in-a-brooklyn-drag-race.html |title=Two Killed in a Brooklyn Drag Race |first=Jesus |last=Rangel |date=May 27, 1986 |work=The New York Times |access-date=August 1, 2020 |archive-date=March 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210319212526/https://www.nytimes.com/1986/05/27/nyregion/two-killed-in-a-brooklyn-drag-race.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Southern end === Various tests of the Fountain Avenue area and landfills were conducted in 1985 and 1986.<ref>{{cite web|date = 1984–1985| title =Jamaica Bay Research and Management Information Network|url =http://nbii-nin.ciesin.columbia.edu/jamaicabay/stakeholder/city_dos.html| access-date=2007-10-25}}</ref>

A December 4, 1998 press announcement by Congressman [[Vito Fossella]] stated that Fossella "laid out a compelling argument for deauthorizing the property as part of [[Gateway National Recreation Area]] and restoring it as a temporary waste disposal site only for trash generated in Brooklyn".<ref>{{cite web|date =December 4, 1998|title =Fossella Formerly Begins Process to Reopen Fountain Avenue Landfill|url =http://www.house.gov/fossella/Fountave.html |access-date= |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/19991009174319/http://www.house.gov/fossella/Fountave.html |archive-date = 1999-10-09}}</ref>

Bill Farrell, writing for the [[New York Daily News]], summarized the condition of the area during a 2003 article: "The malodorous, toxic and visual nightmare reviled by drivers along the Belt Parkway will soon be transformed into {{convert|400|acre|km2}} of parkland along Jamaica Bay."<ref>{{cite news|last=Farrell|first=Bill|date =July 30, 2003|title =Waterfront dump may grow up to be park|url =http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/boroughs/dump-grow-park-article-1.527405|work =[[New York Daily News]]|access-date =2003-07-30|archive-date =March 19, 2021|archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20210319212535/https://www.nydailynews.com/archives/boroughs/dump-grow-park-article-1.527405|url-status =dead}}</ref>

On February 12, 2004, New York City Sanitation filed a request to operate a yard waste composting facility.<ref>{{cite web|date =February 12, 2004|title = State Of New York Department Of Environmental Conservation Notice Of Public Hearing: Applicant: New York City Department of Sanitation ("DoS"), 125 Worth Street, New York, New York 10013 Application No. 2-6105-00666/00001|url =http://www.dec.ny.gov/enb/12220.html|access-date =2004-02-12}}</ref> The application was completed in March 2006.<ref name="FAL">{{cite web| title=ENB Region 2 Completed Applications 03/22/2006 Kings County| publisher=New York State Department of Environmental Conservation| url=http://www.dec.ny.gov/enb2006/20060322/Reg2.html| access-date=2008-12-16| archive-date=July 25, 2008| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080725050644/http://www.dec.ny.gov/enb2006/20060322/Reg2.html| url-status=dead}}</ref>

BergerWorld reported in its 2nd Quarter 2006 report: "Berger, teamed with URS, is assisting the New York City Department of Environmental Protection in the $160 million, {{convert|297|acre|km2|adj=on}} Pennsylvania & Fountain Avenue Landfills (PAFAL) closure project in Brooklyn, NY, one of the largest closures ever undertaken in the state of New York"<ref>{{cite web|date=May 1, 2006 |title=BergerWorld: 2nd Quarter 2006 Ecological Restoration |url=http://www.louisberger.com/berger/world/2006q2/pfal.php |access-date=2006-05-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061022230426/http://louisberger.com/berger/world/2006q2/pfal.php |archive-date=October 22, 2006 |url-status=dead |df=mdy }}</ref>

The landfill was mentioned on July 10, 2007, as undergoing a $20 million [[ecological restoration]] with the Pennsylvania landfill.<ref>{{Cite news|date=February 7, 2007|title=A Forest Grows on a Brooklyn Landfill|url=http://www.wnyc.org/news/articles/73332|publisher=WNYC|access-date=2007-10-15|archive-date=March 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210319212536/https://www.wnyc.org/story/81508-a-forest-grows-on-a-brooklyn-landfill/|url-status=live}}</ref> The area is also under discussion by [[local government]] to be considered for more [[urban planning|development]].<ref>{{cite web| last=Heinlein|first= Sabine| date =December 2006| url =http://brooklynrail.org/2006/12/local/spring-creep/| title =Spring Creep| work =The Brooklyn Rail| access-date =2006-12-01| archive-date =July 2, 2007| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20070702182030/http://brooklynrail.org/2006/12/local/spring-creep| url-status =live}}</ref> City Line Park was mentioned as being redesigned and transformed under a $1.5 million renovation launched this day.<ref>{{cite news|date =July 10, 2007|title =Once a Pumping Station Now a Park to Be Renovated|url =http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/07/10/once-a-pumping-station-now-a-park-to-be-renovated/|newspaper =The New York Times|access-date =2007-07-10|first =Sewell|last =Chan|archive-date =June 19, 2008|archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20080619013635/http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/07/10/once-a-pumping-station-now-a-park-to-be-renovated/|url-status =live}}</ref>

Ecological concerns were later expressed for the area on a "New York Habitat Restoration" webpage.<ref>{{cite web| year =2007|title =New York Habitat Restoration| url =http://www.newyorknature.net/Restoration.html|access-date = 2007-10-26}}</ref> [[File:Fountain Avenue (Brooklyn) memorial.JPG|thumb|right|Memorial at Fountain Avenue near Belt Parkway]]

Fountain Avenue has been infamous as a dumping ground for bodies of people slain by the [[Organized crime|mob]].<ref>{{cite news |date= October 6, 2004 |title= Sometimes, Mob Victims Have Plenty of Company |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/06/nyregion/06mob.html?n=Top%2FReference%2FTimes%20Topics%2FOrganizations%2FF%2FFederal%20Bureau%20of%20Investigation%20 |newspaper= The New York Times |first= William |last= Rashbaum |access-date= 2007-10-15 |archive-date= March 19, 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210319212536/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/06/nyregion/sometimes-mob-victims-have-plenty-of-company.html |url-status= live }}</ref> In the 1930s a group known as [[Murder, Inc.]] used the area as a dumping ground for bodies.<ref name="nyt" /> Later the [[DeMeo crew]] disposed of many victims there.<ref name="nyt">{{cite news|date=March 12, 2006|title=Student Is the Latest Victim to End Up in Swampland|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/12/nyregion/thecity/12murd.html?_r=1&n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/People/K/Kurutz,%20Steven&oref=login|first=Steven|last=Kurutz|work=The New York Times|access-date=2007-10-15|archive-date=March 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210319212537/https://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/12/nyregion/thecity/student-is-the-latest-victim-to-end-up-in-swampland.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2006, the body of [[Murder of Imette St. Guillen|Imette St. Guillen]], who was murdered on February 25, was discovered.<ref name="nyt" /><ref>{{cite news|date =February 27, 2006|title =John Jay co-ed found brutally murdered|publisher =7Online.com New York|url =https://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/12/nyregion/thecity/12murd.html?_r=1&n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/People/K/Kurutz,%20Steven&oref=login|access-date =2006-02-27|first =Steven|last =Kurutz|archive-date =March 19, 2021|archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20210319212537/https://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/12/nyregion/thecity/student-is-the-latest-victim-to-end-up-in-swampland.html|url-status =live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date =February 5, 2007| title =New York City Gridskipper| url =http://gridskipper.com/travel/new-york/infamous-new-york-murders-231665.php#top|access-date= 2007-10-25}}</ref>

==Transportation== Fountain Avenue is served by the following: * The {{NYC bus link|Q8}} runs from Linden Boulevard to Seaview Avenue ([[Gateway Center (Brooklyn)|Gateway Mall]]), and from Vandalia Avenue to Sutter Avenue (Jamaica), with additional service by the {{NYC bus link|B84}} south of Flatlands Avenue. * The {{NYC bus link|B13}} runs from Cozine Avenue to Seaview Avenue (Gateway Mall), and from Vandalia Avenue to Flatlands Avenue ([[Wyckoff Heights Medical Center|Wyckoff Hospital]]). * The {{NYC bus link|B15}} runs between Linden Boulevard and Dumont Avenue.

== See also == * [[Landfills in the United States]]

== References == {{reflist}}

== External links == * [https://web.archive.org/web/20080618231212/http://www.idealist.org/en/org/92688-309 Fountain Avenue Community Development Corporation] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20011119122810/http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/html/press/99-19pr.html City Makes Improvements to Pennsylvania and Fountain Avenue Landfills] * [http://nyc.everyblock.com/streets/brooklyn/fountain-ave/ Every Block, New York City (Address Locator for Fountain Avenue] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091210104440/http://nyc.everyblock.com/streets/brooklyn/fountain-ave/ |date=December 10, 2009 }} * [http://nbii-nin.ciesin.columbia.edu/jamaicabay/jbwppac/JBAC_Mankiewicz_032206.pdf PowerPoint Presentation] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070703055957/http://nbii-nin.ciesin.columbia.edu/jamaicabay/jbwppac/JBAC_Mankiewicz_032206.pdf |date=July 3, 2007 }} * [https://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809761637/info ''Fountain Avenue'' (2006)]

{{Brooklyn Streets}}

[[Category:Environment of New York (state)]] [[Category:Landfills in the United States]] [[Category:Streets in Brooklyn]]