Red Hook Annointed. Again.
How 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…
How 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]
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
I like Red Hook, but what is the school situation there?