Flatbush has a new outdoor space that many in the area say has been desperately needed for a long time.

City officials and members of the local business improvement district gathered Thursday for a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Hillel Plaza. The space is located a block away from Brooklyn College.

Those at the event say the goal is to make the area safer for students, as well as residents in the area.  They say the area has been historically lacking in outdoor spaces like parks.

Drivers say that the plaza took away valuable parking spots, rerouted traffic and in the end added time to their commutes.

Business owners also say the decrease in car traffic is costing them money.

The city's Department of Transportation says it has added new parking spots on nearby Campus Road.

The executive director of the local BID says the positive outweighs the negative.