Eulogies for the Pre-Ikea Red Hook
The Times goes man-on-the-street in Red Hook and finds a wide range of opinions on how this week’s opening of Ikea will affect the neighborhood: -It will change for the worse, said a musician. -German Mendez, who runs a store called the Red Hook Bike Shop, called Ikea a blessing. All these people in the…
The Times goes man-on-the-street in Red Hook and finds a wide range of opinions on how this week’s opening of Ikea will affect the neighborhood:
-It will change for the worse, said a musician.
-German Mendez, who runs a store called the Red Hook Bike Shop, called Ikea a blessing. All these people in the new houses, they don’t like it, he said, as he inspected a customer’s tire. They gave us back the pier, he said, referring to Ikea.
-Now this is Mayberry, said a customer in Mendez’s shop, with a big blue box.
-If it was a Wal-Mart, I’d be protesting, said the owner of a Van Brunt Street wine bar. This could be a really good thing.
-I’m taking a picture before the funeral, said a video artist. In a week from now, the deserted streets won’t be deserted.
And yourself?
Awaiting a Big Blue Box and an Altered World [NY Times]
Big Retailers May Follow Ikea to Red Hook [NY Daily News]
Photo by alphabetjenn.
But it isn’t going to “slow down” gentrification, 11:59, it killed it. Don’t you see? And Red Hook would never have become the yuppie-dom of which you speak because it just wasn’t convenient enough for “those people”. Plus, just too many projects too close for “those people”‘s comfort to actually buy and live there, thus keeping home price tags “reasonable”.
It isn’t just the artsy fartsy set that appreciates beautiful open spaces, built well, planned well, with shops and groceries, and parks and playgrounds, and art, revolving sculptures, maybe a flea market with vendors and such. With amazing views of water and the harbor… ever been to Battery Park? Wandered around the seaport? Chelsea Market? Is it just elite, white, rich people enjoying the space? I don’t think so. And if it is, who’s making the choice not to be there?
Last I checked, these weren’t country clubs with racist, classist entry policies and fees.
I think it is condescending to presume that only the “elite” will enjoy and appreciate such spaces. Poor people just want jobs at giant retailers? Those Project people and their ilk don’t appreciate culture of that sort I guess. Just jam thousands of cars down their throats, and permanently prohibit beautiful, creative, park like development of their waterfront.
9:50, thanks for your insight. It helps.
Nokilissa,
I still think your vision for RH is elitist and only appeals to the artsy/fartsy set and their ilk. If RH morphed into urban version of Sausalito or some other cutesy martime locale, only upper middle class white people that could afford to own a car and pay for private school would live there. Do you really want the majority of RH residents to look like the Fairway tenants with their St Ann’s brats and range rovers?
Maybe the IKEA silver lining is the fact that it will slow down gentification a bit so that normal people could afford to buy a home.
Nokilissa – I agree whole-heartedly. The problem with trashing the whole idea of Ikea in Red Hook is that it could have been much much worse (i.e., Wal-Mart, but who knows, maybe it’s next). But the sad truth is that it could have been much better as you’ve pointed out.
So, instead of ever knowing if Red Hook could have realized its full potential, we’re left with Ikea and an influx of the Heathers of this city – mindless sheep who want cheap Scandinavian couches for their lux condos.
Again, it could have been worse, but it could have been so much better.
I think 6:40 summed it up for me.
I’ve said it many times before, but this, Red Hook, was becoming a truly special place. If we’d given it more thought, planning and time, it could have been a “chelsea market” kind of treasure. Even better.
5:24, it wasn’t a matter of romanticizing an bygone era, replete with crime, it was a matter of watching a place transform into something really unique and beautiful. Something that will now never have a chance to happen.
Instead, it is to be… well, as Heather summed it up for us all, she really just wants her sofa… and she didn’t really get it after all, where the “cool” parts were hiding, that is. She just wants her MTV, er, sorry, Ikea.
And Red Hook has just become a big traffic congested thru-way to Ikea. No more quiet cobble-stoned streets waiting for ideas. The big idea is a giant Ikea.
Forgive me for laying down my head to cry.
A reasonably-priced home furnishing superstore vs. a high-rise with a Duane Reade? Yeah, I’m serious. Have you been to Jersey City?
I think 6:40 summed it up for me.
I’ve said it many times before, but this, Red Hook, was becoming a truly special place. If we’d given it more thought, planning and time, it could have been a “chelsea market” kind of treasure. Even better.
5:24, it wasn’t a matter of romanticizing an bygone era, replete with crime, it was a matter of watching a place transform into something really unique and beautiful. Something that will now never have a chance to happen.
Instead, it is to be… well, as Heather summed it up for us all, she really just wants her sofa… and she didn’t really get it after all, where the “cool” parts were hiding, that is. She just wants her MTV, er, sorry, Ikea.
And Red Hook has just become a big traffic congested thru-way to Ikea. No more quiet cobble-stoned streets waiting for ideas. The big idea is a giant Ikea.
Forgive me for laying down my head to cry.
Heather – are you serious? You have to know that posting such an obnoxious comment will lead to your excoriation. I will avoid doing so myself, but if I were you, I would avoid trying to be the female Biff.
This is such a stupid argument. What can you possibly do to make Red Hook worse?? Any change there can only be for the better. The place was one step away from a nuclear waste site. An IKEA is going to “ruin the neighborhood”?
Honestly, there must be way too many folks here from Columbia or Harvard.
6:40…
Count your blessings. Would you rather have the Edge?