Ascenzi Square

What was here before?

Before it became a borough of the consolidated City of New York in 1898, Brooklyn was an independent municipality composed of numerous small towns and villages within Kings County. Williamsburgh was then a city in its own right, until it became part of Brooklyn in 1855, dropping the “h” from its name in the process. As the former villages expanded towards each other, once-distinct street grids collided to form small triangular lots that were too small for development. Many of these were preserved as green spaces instead.

How did this site become a square?

Ascenzi Square is part of the Greenstreets program, which is a joint project of NYC Parks and the NYC Department of Transportation began in 1986 and was revived in 1994 with the goal to convert paved street properties, such as triangles and malls into green spaces.

Who is this square named for?

This square is dedicated to four local brothers who fought in World War I. Fred, Charles, Joseph and William Ascenzi grew up with their sisters Clara, Lena and Mary nearby at 262 North Sixth Street. Only, Fred and Charles came home from the war Joseph was killed on July 7, 1918; and William’s name was released as a fatality on October 26, 1918. In their memory, the local American Legion Post 1204 was named the Ascenzi Post. At the urging of veterans to dedicate a site in Williamsburg to the brothers, the triangle was named Ascenzi Square in 1939.