A Fight for Sunlight Halts a Mega-Development

The Situation

A pair of 30plusstory luxury towers was proposed just steps from the iconic Brooklyn Botanic Garden. The buildings would have thrown BBG’s greenhouses, collections, and nearby playgrounds and campuses into deep shadow, threatening centuryold plants and one of Brooklyn’s most cherished escapes.​​

What We Found

When we joined the effort, most New Yorkers had no idea how close the Garden was to losing its sunlight; the danger was buried in technical environmental impact documents and landuse jargon. We also saw enormous affection for BBG, and a growing “Fight for Sunlight” movement that needed enhanced storytelling, visible champions, and a clear way for people to take a stand.​​

How We Moved

Our team worked with BBG to turn a zoning battle into a fight for a beloved public garden. We helped amplify the Fight for Sunlight campaign, generating steady, vivid coverage of the shadow threat in local and citywide media. By the time the rezoning reached the City Planning Commission, opposition was overwhelming, and in September 2021, the commission voted it down, delivering a decisive defeat to the project and preserving sunlight for the Garden and its community.