Local seniors with Grace Tappin, owner of Move with Grace yoga studio and juice bar, after a senior friendly chair yoga class.

Myrtle Avenue, between Flatbush Avenue Extension and Classon Avenue, has been designated an “Age-Friendly” Neighborhood by the New York City Council and New York Academy of Medicine. This designation means that the entire Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Business Improvement District has many of the elements which make it a “friendlier” place for seniors living in the neighborhood. This includes places to sit and rest, merchants offering senior discounts, and nearby events or activities that welcome senior participation.

“We are doing what we can to make sure that Myrtle Avenue offers discounts, specials and community events that make staying home in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill easy, affordable and enjoyable for our neighbors as they age“, shared Meredith Phillips Almeida, Executive Director.

The Senior Advisory Council, a group of about 30 Fort Greene & Clinton Hill seniors, has been actively involved in guiding our work around senior issues. The recently released Senior Resource Guide to Myrtle Avenue 2015 – a 4-panel brochure which highlights many of these specials – is an example of their advocacy and activism. The Council has also helped gather signatures and worked with Community Board 2 to bring a USPS Mobile Unit to Fort Greene. “This is incredibly valuable given that the Pratt Station Post Office relocated from 524 Myrtle Avenue to 609 Myrtle Avenue in order to make way for a block of new development,” stated Shaquana Boykin, the Healthy Communities Program Manager with the Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership. The USPS Mobile Unit will be located near the Senior Center on North Portland Avenue between Myrtle and Park Avenues, from 11am-2pm, on Monday, July 27th. Beginning Monday, September 28th the van will be there on the fourth Monday of each month.

2015 USPS Postal Van Dates

The Council also helped to design bright blue Senior Specials decals which will be placed on the windows of Myrtle Avenue and other local stores offering specials. More than 50 Myrtle Avenue businesses have now signed on to offer senior discounts and services.

Classes are currently forming at Move with Grace Yoga, Dance & Fitness Studio and Juice Bar for Chair Yoga specifically for older adults. Brooklyn Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu will be offering Self Defense classes for seniors.

Wine tastings, free grocery deliveries, free pharmacy deliveries and discounts of 5 to 10% and more on dining and other shopping options are also available on Myrtle.  All of these deals and discounts for seniors can be found within the Senior Resource Guide to Myrtle Avenue 2015.

More than 40 public benches along Myrtle Avenue also make taking a rest from shopping or dining in the area easy for everybody.  “The significant changes that Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership has made with community stakeholders and older residents on Myrtle Avenue is something that they should be very proud of. This kind of transformation does not happen easily. Myrtle Avenue is making Brooklyn better for residents of all ages in this borough,” shared Shauneequa Owusu, Director of Strategic Partnerships & Community Engagements at Age-Friendly NYC.

Nearly 6,000 older adults reside in ZIP code 11205, calling Fort Greene and Clinton Hill home, according to the Census’ 2013 American Community Survey.

Age-Friendly Myrtle Avenue is made possible with support from New York Community Trust and NYC Council Member Laurie Cumbo.