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During his state of the borough address, Markowitz discussed his desire to transform the armories in Crown Heights and Bedford-Stuyvesant into recreational community centers.

Markowitz said he will be allocating $1 million in capital funds for each to get the projects started.

Markowitz also announced new initiatives for his new term, including the $70 million renovation of the historic Loew's Kings Theater on Flatbush Avenue. Plans include restoring the theater to its former grandeur, making it a centerpiece of a revitalized Flatbush, and turning it into the largest indoor venue in Brooklyn.

"The city has contracted with a fabulous operator, who will be giving the Loew's Kings new life as a multi-use performance space, an Apollo and Beacon all in one,” Markowitz said.

The borough president also talked about the progress of a project close to his heart, the Atlantic Yards-Nets arena.

"In 2009, confident investors also rushed to buy bonds for Atlantic Yards, meaning they believe Brooklyn is the future. Soon we will have affordable housing, union jobs and the downtown cultural center that the fourth largest city in America deserves with a state-of-the-art arena hosting everything from music and theater to pro basketball and maybe a hockey team called the Brooklyn Islanders," Markowitz said.

Markowitz also wants to help rebuild 4th Avenue into a magnificent boulevard. He says he will be teaming up with New York University urban planning graduate students for help in planning his strategy for the project.

He also introduced the Brooklyn's newest poet Laureate Tina Chang.

And, as the Brooklyn Book Festival marks its fifth anniversary this year, Markowitz announced he's expanding it into a full weekend event.