« Port Authority Hands Over Piers to BB Park Some Day Everything's Gonna Be Different... »

June 1, 2006

Red Hook Annointed. Again.

coverHow many articles can be written about Red Hook's arrival as a hip neighborhood? One more, at least, as this week's issue of Time Out NY demonstrates by putting the former industrial waterfront nabe on the cover. The formula for these things is pretty straightforward: Note the area's gritty history, document the arrivale of the gentrifiers and changes to the retail landscape and set of the inevitable drama over the fight over the future of the neighborhood's soul. To give them credit, the story is accompanied by a fairly good overview of neighborhood dining and drinking attractions all with a friendly map.
Red Hook Special: On the Hook [Time Out NY]
Essential Red Hook [Time Out NY]




Posted by Brownstoner at 9:24 AM | Comments (19)
Categories: Neighborhoods

Comments

I like Red Hook, but what is the school situation there?

Posted by: Anonymous at June 1, 2006 9:56 AM

Keep in mind that the atmosphere of Red Hook can be changed overnight given the large number of empty parcels awaiting what kind of development exactly?

Visiting the new Fairway last week, I saw a couple of fedders buildings going up nearby.

Posted by: carolyn at June 1, 2006 10:11 AM

Hi Mr. B. Since we're talking Red Hook, and you already plugged the gallery walk in DUMBO, you might also let people know there's a great show opening tomorrow night (Friday) at the Kentler International Drawing Space, 353 Van Brunt Street, Gallery in Red Hook. My husband, Hovey Brock, is one of the dozen or so Brooklyn artists! The Kentler has been on the Red Hook scene before there was a scene... The show is called FIGURE? GROUND, Selections from the Kentler Flatfiles, Guest Curator, Carter Foster, Drawings Curator at the Whitney Museum. Show is running June 2 - July 23, 2006. www.kentlergallery.org

Posted by: Anonymous at June 1, 2006 10:17 AM

I was over in Red Hook over the weekend for the first time since last summer, and changes are definately afoot. Saw several Corcoran signs, one was on a building on Coffey near Otsego. I don't know, but it looked slightly surreal, knowing Red Hook over the years. Other big change I noticed from years past, was with the opening of Fairway. Used to be more worried about getting held up at knifepoint. Trying to cross Conover coming back from the pier, my biggest worry was getting hit by and SUV.

Posted by: Al Kahalic at June 1, 2006 10:25 AM

09:24 AM

The local schools are subpar but not as bad as you might think considering the student population is made up of 90% public housing residents. However, Red Hook is in District 15 - the ivy league of Brooklyn school districts. There are several unzoned schools programs such as BNS and Children's (my kids go there), neighborhood schools which are underenrolled such as ps 261 and ps 58 and G&T programs at PS 38 and PS 230. Just forget about getting a spot at PS 29 or PS 321 and you'll do fine. In terms of school, Red Hook is less of a gamble than PH, FG or CH because District 15 is much better than District 13.

Posted by: Anonymous at June 1, 2006 10:46 AM

Here's a NY Times Article from 1995 on up and coming Red Hook. My favorite quote from Kentler gallery owner is: "Please don't call us RedHo" I remember looking for something in that area with my artist spouse back in 1994 and speaking to her about the area. We eventually opted for Williamsburg. Lack of public transportation and reported gunfights had us running in the opposite direction. Another ten years, perhaps?


http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9806E4D91F39F93AA15753C1A963958260

Posted by: crouchback at June 1, 2006 10:49 AM

One thing I don't understand about these articles -- it seems there is a big difference between the area they call "Carroll Gardens West" -- Columbia Street around Union and points north and south -- and true Red Hook. The former is zoned for good schools (PS 29 and 58) and has no public housing as far as I can tell, but the latter is still in transition (and boasts the Fairway and great park and swimming pool). To lump those neighborhoods together seems misleading, except they both have the problem of lack of any good mass transit.

Posted by: Anonymous at June 1, 2006 11:00 AM

crouchback

Historically, all the land south of Altantic Avenue was considered Red Hook until the construction of the BBT and the BQE. The Red Hook Marine Terminal is still in the Columbia Street Waterfront District. In fact the public housing in RH is closer to Summit Street than Conover Street.

Posted by: Anonymous at June 1, 2006 11:06 AM

Doesn't the Gowanus Expressway (and entrance to the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel) essentially cut off most of Red Hook from so-called Carroll Gardens West? I just think they seem like 2 separate neighborhoods so to lump them together without distinction doesn't give the whole picture.

Posted by: Anonymous at June 1, 2006 11:33 AM

The so-called Carroll West area is actually west of the BQE so it is not technically cut off in any way from Red Hook.

Posted by: Anonymous at June 1, 2006 11:40 AM

Columbia Street actually runs all the way from Carrol Gardens West through Red Hook and becomes the big hook shaped pier that helps define Erie Basin. You can walk to it's restaurant row from Red Hook proper by going straight down Van Brunt without ever having to deal with the highway. That said, as a resident of Red Hook I would say I think of the stretch of Columbia Street where Alma, etc, are more as an adjacent neighborhood. Much like the North Slope and the South South Slope or more to the point the North Slope and Prospect Heights (which years back was considered part of Park Slope). CGW was part and parcel of Red Hook before the BQE so it's not technically wrong to think of it as Red Hook but I do think it has the feel of a different neighborhood.

Posted by: combustiblegirl at June 1, 2006 12:10 PM

aw, geez louise, i've been referring to the times as "THE real estate organ of NYC!" for some time now.

of course, they catch on really late in the game, but still ... and i'll betcha a majority of times staffers would scoff at the idea that the gray lady is NOT in favor of organic growth - the frauds!

Posted by: suzy at June 1, 2006 1:16 PM

my apology for the double negative - meant to say that they've got their heads up their butts.

keep fishing, howell, just keep fishing.

Posted by: suzy at June 1, 2006 1:18 PM

@11:00AM

I don't think that CGW/Columbia Waterfront/North Red Hook area really lacks access to public transportation as poorly as reported. Bourough Hall is about a 15-20 minute walk, and the Bergen Street F/G is only 10 minutes or so. Plus buses run on Hicks and on Court Street (although I don't take them, I take the 4/5 or 2/3 from BH).
I definitely agree that the southern part of Red Hook past the BBT is cutoff, however. I would also agree that from a walking standpoint the BBT definitely does break up the neighborhood and can act as a visual divide.

Posted by: cobblestoner at June 1, 2006 1:42 PM

And there is also a bus that runs down Union to the Slope (and then I think to Crown Heights?) It doesn't run enough, though. I think that Columbia Street Waterfront and Red Hook are two distinct neighborhoods. It is rare to walk down Columbia into the heart of Red Hook. Unless you HAVE TO go to the stupid post office since we don't have one of our own! Personally, I take the bus when I have to get to Van Brunt--the BQE separates the two nabes although it is possible to stroll down if you know the route.

Posted by: Carol Gardens at June 1, 2006 2:32 PM

I agree with the original brownstoner post. Another story about 'How Hot Red Hook Is'. Ho-hum.

Regarding the Red Hook vs. Carroll Gardens West issue, as a resident of Red Hook I don't consider anything north of the BBT or east of Hamilton Ave. part of Red Hook. These are fairly distinct boundaries and the two neighborhoods have a different feel, like combustiblegirl mentioned.

It's also not that far of a walk as cobblestoner reported. If you get off at the Carroll Garden F/G stop and walk to 4th place and Henry, there's a pedestrian bridge that crosses the expressway and tunnel entrance. From the other side of the bridge Van Brunt St is only 3 blocks away. It takes me about 15 minutes.
This weekend is the Red Hook Waterfront Arts Festival and there is an Open Studio walking tour of the neighborhood, so I encourage anyone interested in seeing Red Hook to come on down and walk around. www.BWAC.org has a map of the area with all the studio addresses. I'm biased towards the Coffey Park Artists Collective at 14 Verona Street and highly recommend stopping by!

Posted by: redhookrising at June 1, 2006 3:41 PM

I live in cobble hill and frequently head over to columbia street waterfront area, and barely feel like i left my neighborhood. i'd associate that area with cobble hill / caroll gardens more than red hook. the BBT is definitely a mental divide of the two areas. no question about it.

Posted by: dumboshumbo at June 1, 2006 3:58 PM

I used to roller blade around Red Hook all the time. The roads were well paved, flat, and empty. Today the traffic on Van Brunt to get to Fairway was annoying. My husband & I have a few spots in Red Hook that we love and some of the changes are great for the neighborhood. I miss how quiet the streets used to be but enjoy shopping at Fairway.

Posted by: Anonymous at June 1, 2006 5:45 PM

Are there any rentals deals left in Red Hook. Craigslist doesnt suggest so.

Posted by: burgy at June 3, 2006 3:17 PM

Post a comment

Please be patient while your comment is published. It may take a moment.

Latest Restaurant Additions