History

Red Hook was originally settled by the Dutch in 1636, making it one of the earliest established areas in Brooklyn. By the 1850’s Red Hook was one of the busiest ports in the United States and quickly became known for its bustling maritime-based economy. The neighborhood initiated a housing project to accommodate the vast number of dockworkers present in the early 20^th century. After undergoing a long period of affluence, Red Hook’s economic expansion came to a halt in the 1950’s. Changes in shipping methods superseded the need for Red Hook ports and effectively moved a large portion of the docking business to New Jersey. This economic downturn remained unchanged into the 1990’s when the average income per household was under $10,000 (1). Today, Red Hook remains a low-income neighborhood known for its Ikea and Fairway Market (2). The area is commanded by issues of water contamination, commercialization, isolation, and poverty.

Environmental and Wellness Issues

1. Water contamination

Red Hook is known for its outstanding Hudson River views. During my visit, I was able to observe several angles of the neighborhood’s iconic panorama. From the Valentino Pier there is a direct line of sight to the Statue of Liberty, only interrupted by the passing of the occasional cargo ship. Then, when walking throughout the neighborhood, there are glimpses of the Freedom Tower between utility poles and electricity cables. Even in the parking lot of Ikea, there is a wide view of the Verrazano Bridge. (All pictured below)

Despite the beauty associated with views of the Hudson River, the water has a long history of pollution. One of the most well known cases involves General Electric’s reckless waste disposal procedures in the mid 1900’s. Between 1947 and 1977, the company dumped an estimated 1.3 million pounds of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) into the Hudson River (3). PCB is a toxic chemical often generated in industrial processes and is thought to have a strong link to skin diseases and cancer (4).

Red Hook’s proximity to the Hudson River makes it vulnerable to such environmental pollutants. However, more specifically, Red Hook borders the Gowanus Canal, which is recognized as one of the most polluted bodies of water in the United States. The Gowanus is a popular destination for illegal waste disposal and houses several carcinogens and congeners. Additionally, the canal secretes terribly foul smells to its surrounding areas (5).

While the extent of water contamination in Red Hook has far surpassed the reasonable, the city government is making efforts to rectify the issue. The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is in the process of installing retention tanks to prevent further contamination of the canal. The tanks will prevent the overflows of sewage that go into the canal during rainstorms (6). However, further action should be taken to alleviate this issue. The first step should be placing restrictions on the massive amount of illegal waste disposal that takes place at the canal.

2. Commercialization

For the current New York City population, Red Hook is primarily known as the home of IKEA. The furniture store does in fact have a looming presence over the neighborhood. When making the trip to IKEA by car, I encountered several signs leading me to the store. The closer you get to IKEA, the closer together the signs become. Because of its omnipresence over the neighborhood, the furniture store receives much backlash from locals. However, IKEA is not the only corporate presence looming over Red Hook

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Many manufacturing companies seeking large spaces recognize the opportunity for high square footage in Red Hook. One such example is the Triangle Roofing Company, which burned hot tar in its building (7). This produced a pungent smell, which can easily irritate the respiratory tract.

The deep commercialization of the neighborhood has led City Councilman, Carlos Menchaca’s steadfast campaign against corporate interests in Red Hook. The NYC Economic Development Corporation (EDC) has previously led several ventures that harmed locals, leaving Menchaca to defend the well being of the Red Hook community. “Menchaca represents the largely blue collar population of Red Hook, and he asked reasonable questions about local hiring and maintaining a balance between public and private interests” (8). Though Menchaca’s efforts are commendable, they should be advanced from the community to city level.

3.Isolation

While Red Hook has an immediate view of the financial district, getting from Red Hook to Downtown Manhattan is not quite so simple. The neighborhood is cut off from rest of the city by the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. In addition, subway stations are few and far between. This forces the locals to rely heavily on bus and car transportation (2).

Over the last few years, there has been a heavy movement encouraging Red Hook citizens to use bikes in their commute to Manhattan. (9). However, this is certainly not a universal solution for all commuters from the area. This Red Hook isolation serves as a representation for the larger issue regarding the New York City Subway system. The first new subway station in over twenty-five years opened on September 13^th. Meanwhile hundreds of areas, such as Red Hook remain untouched by the city’s main mode of transportation. Therefore, the real solution lies in the improvement, upkeep, and expansion of the NYC subway system.

4.Poverty

The overarching issue in Red Hook is the pervasive poverty that looms over the area. The neighborhood is exceptional in its stark contrast between its view of the wealthy and booming financial district and the crumbling local conditions. Red Hook is the home of Brooklyn’s largest public housing development. Within Red Hook’s public housing, 75 percent of young people can’t find jobs (2).

However, development plans for a waterfront complex may slightly mitigate the area’s poverty. The $400 million project will offer 1.2 million square feet of office space and would “cater to creative, fashion and tech tenants.” (10) While previous commercial interest in the area have consisted almost solely of waste producing companies such as the Triangle roofing company and other manufacturing businesses, this project brings in white-collar jobs and opportunities.

(11)

Sources

1. http://waterfrontmuseum.org/red-hook-history
2. http://www.thenation.com/article/help-connect-two-new-yorks-bill-de-blasio-should-build-more-community-broadband/
3. http://www.riverkeeper.org/water-quality/testing/what/other-pollutants/
4. http://www.epa.gov/wastes/hazard/tsd/pcbs/
5. http://www.businessinsider.com/9-horrifying-things-about-brooklyns-gowanus-canal-2013-10
6. http://www.star-revue.com/city-makes-case-for-retention-tank-location-at-epa-meeting-by-george-fiala/
7. http://www.star-revue.com/triangle-smell-follow/
8. http://www.star-revue.com/editorial-breaking-chains-corporate-interests/
9. http://therealdeal.com/blog/2014/05/24/bicycles-help-brokers-market-remote-areas/
10. http://therealdeal.com/blog/2015/08/17/est4te-four-seeking-partner-for-red-hook-waterfront-complex/
11. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/18/realestate/red-hook-brooklyn-living-in-an-outlier-near-the-center-of-the-universe.html?_r=0