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.
I just want my sofa.
And I daresay there are many residents of Red Hook from all walks of life that are equally capable of appreciating a $25 highchair, a $200 ecologically correct mattress, and a free playroom for the kids.
In the 90’s I went to Red Hook a few times — or tried to. It was difficult, since what was considered the cool part of the neighborhood was only like four blocks long. “Where’s the rest of it?” I kept asking. I’m still not sure.
I had a similar experience with Vinegar Hill… but that’s another story.
Brownstoner, It is not a matter of whether Ikea will change Red Hook for the better, but that it’s opening will mean that Red Hook will now never be able realize it’s true potential. Red Hook could have been so much more than a big traffic jam on the way to Ikea. The New York waterfront deserves better than Ikea.
Nokilissa,
I think your opinion is shared by a very small handful of Red Hook bohemians. I’ve lived Red Hook for the past ten years – not an old timer by any stretch. However, I am amazed at how some of my neighbors romanticize Red Hook circa 1998. Were things really that much better then? There was much more crime, both petty and violent. No commercials amenities or restaurants to speak of except a then private drinking club know as Sunny’s. A slew of noxious uses such as four methadone clinics and eleven private waste transfer stations. Horrible public schools.
And remember the original proposal for the Todd Shipyards – the largest friggin garbage transfer station in NYC!
Yes, Ikea will bring traffic, but during Red Hook’s heyday in the 1950s, there was ton of traffic. Red Hook’s period as an artsy rougue outback, 1980-1999, was anomaly and ephemera.
2:32 – that’s it – thanks! Looks like it’s further along than I would have cynically expected: http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/05/19/eyes-on-the-street-biking-on-the-brooklyn-waterfront-greenway/
2:32, are you referring to the Brooklyn Greenway Initiative?
http://www.brooklyngreenway.org/
I’ve heard the city is building a separate (from cars) bike path that will effectively connect DUMBO to Red Hook by going under the B. Heights’ promenade section of the BQE and then down Columbia. Anyone else heard this? It would be a much needed addition. I’ve also heard the new Smith/9th subway will have extensive bike parking (granted, riding your bike that way is a death wish…).
Anyone heard about either of these? Couldn’t find any info other than speculation.
When you widen the strees, more cars will come to fill up the wider street. If you remove on street parking, even more cars will come to fill that up to. It’s like the freeways in LA, the larger you make them, them more cars you attract.
Fearing all of the traffic, but eagerly looking forward to lingonberries and free water taxis. The B61 extension is also nice, but they should really remove all street parking on Van Brunt and install more traffic lights as this area will soon be a traffic nightmare.
Overall a 50/50 combination of terrific and terrible planning by the city and DOT.
It was built legally. They got the variance. 11:28 was saying anyone who moved into an area zoned in this fashion shouldn’t complain when the zoning is lived up to, and my point to them was that it wasn’t zoned for this type of store. It’s an anomaly that got put through so you can’t criticize people who lived here before for complaining. If this were happening at the Atlantic Yards site, there’d be a lot more handwringing from the people now trumpeting it.