Author: George Fiala

Feature Story

What the PEOPLE say Over a thousand mostly individual letters were sent to the EDC and to the Task Force members from community members. Most of them were not happy with the EDC BMT Vision Plan. Here are just a few of those letters.

Dear Task Force, I have lived in the Cobble Hill Towers building for over 20 years. I am opposed to the BMT development project for many reasons but primary among them is traffic and transportation. I am in favor of continuing to see this area as working waterfront, but using high density housing to pay for it should be a […]

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The People Win! by George Fiala

Last May the NYC Economic Development Corporation, backed by Mayor Adams and Governor Hochul, gave Red Hook a death knell. They fully expected the community to remain quiescent while they pushed through their plan to add a large number of thirty, forty and even fifty story high rise buildings, mostly filled with luxury condos, along the waterfront—from Atlantic Avenue all […]

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Dead Man Walking – EDC’s zombie BMT plan postponed again, by George Fiala

At 9:15 pm on Wednesday, July 16,  the evening before the  Brooklyn Marine Terminal Task Force was to vote on the future of the EDC Vision Plan for the Red Hook and CWD waterfront, members received the following e-mail from Congressman Dan Goldman’s office. Goldman is the leader of the Task Force. Hi everyone, Senate Republicans are currently working to […]

Feature Story

An auspicious beginning for Red Hook’s Lundy revival, by Katherine Rivard

“2 IN LUNDY FAMILY SLAIN IN BURGLARY,” read a front-page headline of The New York Times on September 19, 1975. The victims were the sister and brother-in-law of Frederick William Irving Lundy, the founder of the famed Lundy Brothers Restaurant, and their deaths marked the beginning of the end for the historic restaurant. Lundy’s is no longer a household name […]

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Toxic vapors and pollution hold up Public Place plans, by Eric Newstrom

Almost 20 years since the first decision document outlining the remediation plan for Public Place, a site along the Gowanus Canal which used to be the site of the Citizens Manufactured Gas Plant but now was supposed to become the flagship development of the rezoned Gowanus, with affordable housing and green space, sits desolate. As one of the most polluted […]

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EDC wheeling and dealing trying to pass their BMT, plan by Eric Newstrom

New York City’s Economic Development Corporation (EDC) has delayed the vote on the vision plan for the Brooklyn Marine Terminal redevelopment. Again. “I’m very frustrated,” said Jim Tampakis, task force member, maritime expert and owner of Marine Spares International. The Brooklyn Marine Terminal task force, a 28-member advisory body that since last summer has been working with EDC to shape […]

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The Community wins – Kimball loses, column by George Fiala

FRIDAY MORNING UPDATE: As Kimball sees the writing on the wall about today’s vote – an email was just sent out to all the Task Force members announcing a two or three week delay, into the middle of July likely interrupting Dan Goldman’s vacation. My guess is that Eric Adams leaned into Governor Hochul to try and find more funding […]

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We endorse Avilés, Hanif and Mamdani, by the Red Hook Star-Revue Editorial Team

It’s primary month. As far as the City Council is concerned, the Democratic Party primary in June is the real election, not the usually uncompetitive one in November. The battles over two city council seats in South Brooklyn, Districts 38 and 39, seem to be coming down to the wire. In district 38, which includes Red Hook, incumbent progressive Council […]

15th Anniversary Special, News

15th Anniversary Special: The First Five Years

The first five years refers to the years 2010-2014. Most of the photos are from Hurricane Sandy and afterwards. The big events are of course Sandy, which invaded at the end of October 2012; the many resiliency meetings that occurred afterwards; the closing (against most community wishes) of Long Island College Hospital; and various local personalities, including politicians Sara Gonzalez, […]