Last weekend, the Park Slope Civic Council hosted “Moving Forward on Fourth,” a walkabout to discuss the future of Fourth Avenue. Rebecca Welch’s interview with Josh Levy, Civic Council Trustee and lead organizer of the event, is on All About Fifth. Here’s an excerpt:

AF: I imagine that there is a wish list for 4th Avenue and there is a “reality” list. Setting the wish list aside for the moment, what can residents expect in the next year or two in terms of change along the Avenue?

JL: My read is that given the current state of affairs in the commercial real estate and development lending universe, I fear that no major or substantive building or development will be taking place in the next year or two—lending terms are far too prohibitive. Needed but draconian government budget cuts aren’t helping either. For the near term, we will have to make do with scaled-down (but fully cash-funded) projects less grand in scope and smaller, incremental improvements that we can implement (as a community) at little cost. The initiative to convert the 4th Street cul-de-sac west of 5th Avenue into a pedestrian mall/piazza is a good example.