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UPDATE: IKEA comes to town. Will anything be the same in Red Hook? -- They came from miles away to line up for the grand opening of Ikea Brooklyn. TV stations did live shots and asked if this was the start of Red hook.
In a very short period in the spring of 2006, Red Hook has premiered two major destinations within its storied neighborhood.
The Queen Mary 2 ushered in the opening of the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal and the residents witnessed the opening of
Fairway in the Red Hook Stores Building.
The arrival of the Queen Mary 2 has had little initial effect on the businesses and traffic in the neighborhood. The first visit of the Queen Mary 2
saw a huge influx of visitors to the neighborhood to view the ship. Subsequently, it has become old hat. But with over 40 dockings planned in Red Hook this year, change will come.
The neighborhood is already becoming a tourist destination with stories appearring in publications throughout the US and the world. It is only a matter of time before Van Brunt Street sees
major changes to the type of businesses along the thoroughfare.
Fairway, which opened its first Brooklyn location within the first two floors of the 1869 structure originally built to warehouse coffee, is the first major change to
the business community in Red Hook. Greg O'Connell has been a driving force within the neighborhood and is seeing his dream come true.
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| Greg O'Connell (far right) outside Fairway |
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"It's a home run for the neighborhood," said O'Connell. "Fairway will become a part of the neighborhood."
The 33,000 square foot store is almost overwhelming. Walking through the store, the vastness of the space is completely different from the other grocery stores within brownstone
Brooklyn. Known for its fruits, vegetables, and prepared food, Fairway is an interesting addition to the area. With no subway close by, it is a suburban store within Red Hook. Over the opening weekend, the parking
lot was full during all three of our visits. The building itself is impressive. The first floors of the building houses the actual store with offices and kitchens filling the second floor.
Above will be luxury apartments with incredible views of NY Harbor, the Statue of Liberty and the city.
Just around the bend, IKEA is beginning the construction of their first superstore in Brooklyn. The former NY Shipyard building will be replaced by the Swedish furniture
giant.
A quick google of IKEA and Brooklyn, 500 results were returned. The idea of an IKEA in Red Hook is
a political hot potato and has set residents debating the issue. With narrow streets and no subway service, many resdents feel the traffic going to and from the IKEA would overwhelm the neighborhood. Others welcome
IKEA for much needed jobs in the under-served section of South Brooklyn.
Today, Red Hook is one of the few areas of South Brooklyn full of small manufacturing and service companies.
Doug Soto moved to Red Hook when his direct mail and marketing firm, Dmark, outgrew the storefront on Smith Street where he began in 1998. The civil-war era warehouse offered the company the space they needed
and a phenomenal location. The stunning brick warehouse features a promenade along New york harbor with unimpeded views of the Statue of Liberty. It is a great location to gather for sunset and as
a prime viewing location for the parade of ships during Fleet Week and Op Sail.
"I saw Smith Street take off and move out the small businesses like me to make room for restaurants and high end shopping," he said. "Red Hook is the perfect location for me, with large spaces, and how can you complain about your daily view?"
The neighborhood has become a mecca for artists and artisans. Stunning waterfront views clash with urban decay. Gowanus Bay and New York Harbor offer amazing
visuals. Tugboats ply the area, passing through the narrow entrance to Gowanus Bay on the way to their berths. Changes in weather can be frightening and spectacular as the water reacts.
 Mark Phillips, president of South Brooklyn Internet and producer of The South Brooklyn Network, has photographed the area for over ten years. "There really isn't a better place to get away than the
Red Hook waterfront," said Phillips. "There are very few places in New York where you can go and be the only person witnessing a beautiful view. Red Hook is one such place."
The large spaces and beauty of the waterfront also drew John Jerard and Mary Creede of Jerard Studio. "Our move to Red Hook gave us a
new energy. It was fitting that one of our first projects in the new space were fish puppets," said John.
Jerard Studio is just one of the creative companies hidden in Red Hook.
The area comes alive with the arts in May each year as two events draw crowds from the entire city and give an opportunity to learn more about the amazing
people who call this area home. The Brooklyn Waterfront Artist Coalition (BWAC) holds their annual BWAC Pier Show at the Beard Street
pier at the end of Van Brunt Street.
The Red Hook Waterfront Arts Festival has become one of
the official launches of the summer season in Red Hook. The blazing boldness of the Urban Bush Women and the rhythms of Radio Mundial share the stage with local youth groups at the 12th annual
event on Saturday June 3 at the refurbished Beard Street Pier in Red Hook. This free event runs from 12-6pm and
also includes dance workshops, storytelling, cultural and maritime activities for all ages. Martha Bowers, Festival Producer and founder of Dance Theatre Etcetera explains,
"This festival has always been about celebrating the potential of local youth. What better way to
do so than offer such shining examples of mature artistry with local roots and international reputations."
 Also coming every weekend in June is the annual CircuSundays aboard the beautiful Waterfront Museum & Showboat Barge located at the foot of Conover Street adjacent to the new Fairway.
The unique wooden vessel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Museum Director David Sharps, a former cruise ship entertainer, is the Showboat Captain. The performances take place at 1pm and 4pm each
Sunday. In July, the barge comes alive with Jazz music each Saturday at sunset. Bookmark our HAPPENINGS page for further details.
NY Water Taxi, which is headquartered in Red Hook, has started service to the Beard Street pier. The new service connects Red Hook with Brooklyn Heights, Wall Street, and Midtown.
Before the Gowanus Expressway was built, the entire area was known as Red Hook, stretching from Brooklyn Heights to today's Red Hook. The water taxi is one of the first steps toward reconnecting South Brooklyn.
The area's history revolves around the water and the waterfront, and with new growth coming, the waterfront will thrive once more. |
Red Hook's history is the story of America.
Is this lot a Revolutionary War burial site? |
Local historian John Burkard has studied the Battle of Brooklyn and Red Hook's role on August 27-29, 1776.
With the American army entrenched in the hills of Gowanus and Prospect Heights, outnumbered three to one, British Admiral Howe decided to sail an armada of seven ships
through the harbor to the East River to finish Washington and his troops. While sailing past Red Hook Point, the ships came under fire from Fort Defiance.
The intense fire from the fort caused the ships to turn back, saving the day for the Americans.
Red Hook Lane was an old indian trail running from Fulton Ferry to Red Hook and Fort Defiance. According to Burkard's research, American rifleman would position themselves along the
lane used by the British. One such American soldier is said to have shot and killed British Major Grant and another soldier before he was shot down from his perch in a tree. All three are believed to
be buried in a vacant lot at the corner of present day Nelson and Columbia Streets. The building located at this corner was built leaving the suspected burial site untouched.
Read our feature about John Burkard's Investigation into Red Hook history |
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Produced by South Brooklyn Internet. All material ©2006. No reuse without permission.
ALL PHOTOGRAPHS ©MARK D PHILLIPS and are available for sale in the South Brooklyn Store |
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HAPPENING archive of stories ......
Angels and Accordions headlines OpenHouseNY
For the sixth year, Angels and Accordions brought Greenwood Cemetary alive.
With its unique presentation of accordions, singing, striking visuals, and creepy graveyard scenes, Angels and Accordions is a site-specific show, with the audience taken on a mile-long walking tour, punctuated by scenes of angels around different memorials.
Greenwood Cemetary is one of the most beautiful sculpture gardens in the world. With mausoleums structured from pyramids to Greek cathedrals and statues for war dead to cherished child, the stages for angels are designed by Martha Bowers of Dance Theatre Etcetera.
Martha's visions come to life within this unique venue. Angels sing from a vine covered path, bringing "Over the Rainbow" to a chilling feeling of sorrow.
Some of the simplest can be the most striking, such as an angel frozen on the steps of a grand mausoleum or reading names from an alcove in the catacombs. View these images in our online photogallery on SouthBrooklynInternet by clicking here.
As the premier event of Open House NY, Angels and Accordions has been a free event. Will it remain a free event? Probably not. But believe us, it will be worth the admission price.
View a photo gallery from this year's Angels and Accordions on SouthBrooklynInternet
Friends of the Brooklyn Bridge launches mybrooklynbridge.com
In 2008, the Brooklyn Bridge celebrated its 125th anniversary, and this monumental occasion presented the Dumbo Improvement District the opportunity to unveil a new and improved pedestrian experience on the Brooklyn side of the Bridge.
Working with Emphas!s Design and artists Linnaea Tillett & Karin Tehve, the Dumbo Improvement District undertook this great project to provide a sense of direction and place to the one million tourists who cross over the Brooklyn Bridge each year. In the past when pedestrians reached the Brooklyn end of the Bridge, they frequently turned around and returned Manhattan when confronted with uninviting entrances, poor lighting and inadequate signage. Today, pedestrians are greeted with signage welcoming them to Brooklyn and a large map highlighting attractions within walking distance.
“This Way” serves as a grand entrance point to the fine borough of Brooklyn.
©Mark D Phillips, 2008
 The Friends of the Brooklyn Bridge was formed by the Dumbo Improvement District to bring together the resources to maintain improvements made to the world's greatest bridge. The initiatives website, mybrooklynbridge.com, will be a major resource for the bridge. Share your memories of your favorite experience on the Brooklyn Bridge. Watch an 1899 movie by Thomas Edison Studios of a train travelling over the bridge, and read the history of the construction.
Contributions to Friends of the Brooklyn Bridge will be dedicated to the supplemental maintenance of this project. With donations of $150 or more, you will receive a framed image of your choice from our collection, including historical images of the bridge from our partner, the Brooklyn Historical Society, and new images by Mark D Phillips. They make great gifts.
For more details, visit mybrooklynbridge.com
THE JAIL BATTLE
According to the NY Post's Rich Calder:
Foes of City Hall's plan to reopen and expand a Brooklyn jail scored a victory yesterday when the city agreed to temporarily halt work on the $440 million project and cap the number of overnight prisoners there.
Comptroller Bill Thompson, Councilman David Yassky and civic groups cut the court-OK'd deal just days after suing the city for "secretly" and "illegally" repopulating the Brooklyn House of Detention in family-laden Boerum Hill with 31 prisoners.
The agreement runs through Dec. 18, at which time the case is to return to court. Under the deal, the jail may accept up to 50 prisoners.
NY Post - Nov 21, 2008 |
The INTREPID Returns!
The USS Intrepid returned from its two-year restoration in Staten Island Thursday, October 2, to Pier 86 on the West Side. Two hundred fifty former Intrepid crew members took the short voyage, passing by the Statue of Liberty and Ground Zero.
For more photos and larger click here ©Mark D Phillips
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IKEA comes to town. Will anything be the same in Red Hook? -- They came from miles away to line up for the grand opening of Ikea Brooklyn. TV stations did live shots and asked if this was the start of Red hook.
GOING GREEN --- Movers Not Shakers brings environmentally friendly service to an age-old business.
THE WATERFALLS --- Were they good or bad?
Read our Archive of South Brooklyn Stories |
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The South Brooklyn Network is produced by South Brooklyn Internet,