US Concrete, Red Hook's New Resident
Red Hook residents have been distressed for a couple months now over the planned arrival of US Concrete to their neighborhood. Although Red Hook was historically a center of industry, and once considered one of the worst neighborhoods in the city, the neighborhood has greatly changed over the past ten years (duh). Now, residents fear…
Red Hook residents have been distressed for a couple months now over the planned arrival of US Concrete to their neighborhood. Although Red Hook was historically a center of industry, and once considered one of the worst neighborhoods in the city, the neighborhood has greatly changed over the past ten years (duh). Now, residents fear that the new concrete factory will disrupt the balance they fought to create, reports the Brooklyn Paper: they worry about traffic, noise and pollution from trucks, dust from the factory, and its proximity to a community farm, Red Hook Park, and Ikea’s waterfront park. The area’s democratic councilwoman, Sara Gonzalez, held a summit meeting for residents and company representatives last Thursday, but so far, it looks like US Concrete will go forward with its plan.
Concrete Plant Plan Is a Real Red Hook Dust Up [Brooklyn Paper]
Residents Upset over Location of Concrete Plant [NY Daily News]
Photo by sgoodyear
eyeharbor, thanks for the clarifications. Those definitely serve to inform the discussion with facts, beyond mere conjecture.
As for the “civil war era” thing, Combustiblegirl was the sole poster in this thread to mention it but I think she meant to use it in a positive sense regarding the areas maritime culture and historic legacy.
But yes, we’ve all seen that term twisted around to the negative, attempting to underscore obsolescence. When I mentioned the potential of being outdated above, I meant more along the lines of potentially missing the last 30 years of environmental and technological updates in the shipyard business. Not 145 years. 🙂
But back to the other question about shipyards and graving docks, despite the area being zoned for such industrial and (now diminishing) port-related use, would there not be protests if plans for a new one were announced?
But again, I guess that calls for conjecture on my part, who really knows.
in response to Jeffrey:
The Red Hook graving dock was not defunct. IKEA would not close on the property until the last ship left, which was the Empire State, the training ship for SUNY Maritime in the Bronx. You can see several photos of it here http://www.bigcitiesbigboxes.com/red_hook_graving_dock_endangered/
The company operating the dock was Stevens, a tenant of NY Shipyard, and they wanted to continue operating. However, they did not own the facility they had no control. The city’s own DEP sludge boats (which move partially processed sewage from facilities around the city to the final processing up in the Bronx) were also hauled out in this dock; and the closing of the dock caused considerable delays and cost increases to the city, likely one of the reasons that the City Comptroller Thompson wrote a letter of support to the Save the Graving Dock effort.
Lastly, the dock was NOT “civil war era.” A graving dock of one form or another, and during certain periods two graving docks, had been on this location since the Civil War era; but the dock that was filled was NOT that old. In the era of google, factual errors get repeated too easily and the “civil war era” line was one such mistake.
Combustiblegirl2 – others have done a pretty good job of addressing your post but let me say that – yes I condemn the NIMBYs of RH who aim to stop the use of this property in a manner consistent with its zoning, its historical use as an industrial area and necessary in NYC and NO you will not hear me cry foul if a condo (or any other building) is proposed in my neighborhood – I am for development and growth and for example supported the rezoning of 4th Ave and the AY development – both are in my neighborhood.
Gemini;
I’m back! Yup, the wheat was bound for overseas. Today the Erie Canal is all but forgotten, but its importance in the economic development of NY AND the Midwest cannot be overstated. It basically caused NY to become the pre-eminent port in the country, which was the initial impetus for its growth in the 19th century. For the midwest, it opened up vast new markets for its products.
“Memorable day – I’ve agreed w/ Benson on two topics!”
Haven’t seen the other one but I’ll go for this one!
Combustiblegirl2,
You don’t need to conduct environment impact statement if the current zoning allows the use as-of-right which in this case it does. If you’re going to fight the good fight, at least know the law.
My guess is that this cement plant will be just like the ones in Gowanus (my neighborhood) – there’s one on 5th and Bond, and another over near 9th and Smith. Sure, you’ve got tons of trucks coming and going, and its dusty, but if you choose to live in an industrial neighborhood, it comes with the territory. It is great to hear that there will be some more jobs for the people who make these neighborhoods what they are. The opposition should pack their bags and take their selfish and elitist attitudes elsewhere.
Posted by: Combustiblegirl2 at August 11, 2009 12:44 PM “but as usual the commenters on this thread discuss the issues in the most reductive and uninformed matter” –
I do not believe that anyone posting is being reductive and that they are necessarily uninformed. They are merely commenting on one aspect or another of thier choosing related to the topic at hand. I particularly have little interest in the proposed industrial business issue in Erie Basin. Another person may feel otherwise. These strains of thought are what makes the thread interesting and informative to most, vestigial condescending remarks do not .
“Because we’re not in the brownstone belt we’re just supposed to suck it up and take whatever is throw at us.”
Not quite – because the proposed site is zoned as industrial, you shouldn’t be suprised when it is put to an industrial use.