The former Citizens Gas Works on the western bank of the Gowanus Canal—one of the most polluted sites in all of New York State—is already a jumble of parcels with different owners, remediation plans, and regulatory statuses. Now, a move by the owners and developers of parcel one—the future home of Gowanus Green, a project that includes an affordable housing […]

While the lawsuit to undo the Court Street redesign is no more, businesses along the 1.3-mile stretch have remained steadfast in their opinions on the road’s new style. Not only is Edward De Freitas the owner of Empire Pest Control on Court near Third Place, but he’s also an avid cyclist. De Freitas shared that he’s a veteran of the […]

Community Board 6’s January meeting continued conversations around humanity’s never-ceasing concern: safety. “We need to make sure that we pass legislation that gives immigrant New Yorkers both legal counsel as well as stop any local or state actors participating in ICE’s actions,” said District 44 New York State Assemblymember Robert Carroll, calling those actions morally and legally “out of bounds.” […]

No one knows how many there are. They prowl the streets at night, looking for food and shelter. Some hiss, some hide, and some ask for pets. They’re black, orange, white, tabby, tuxedo-patterned. They are community cats. In New York, the outdoor animals that receive the most attention are the rats. But the streets are also the home of a […]

As the EU enters 2026, uncertainty looms on one of its flagship policies: the European Green Deal. Adopted in 2019 to tackle climate change, it was designed to make Europe climate neutral by 2050. During Commission President Von Der Leyen’s first term the Green Deal became the EU’s strategy for economic growth, an ambitious plan that gave up traditional assumptions […]

The newly formed Columbia Street Waterfront Association (CSWA) had a few key updates this month, including news about the concrete recycling facility on Columbia St. Locals had been frustrated over dust from the facility blowing into the neighborhood and into their homes. The crushed concrete forms crystalline silica, which may lead to a number of deadly lung diseases. Many people […]

A lot happened in Gowanus in 2025. The development boom promised by the rezoning kicked off in earnest along both sides of the Gowanus Canal, but new neighbors still wake up many a rainy morning smelling the aftermath of a combined sewer overflow. The Environmental Protection Agency continues to dredge the canal, but some local residents and experts are worried […]

As Red Hook West considers the federal Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) program to revamp the complex, residents in other NYCHA buildings that voted for PACT are sending warnings. Derrick Haynes, a longtime resident of the Manhattanville Houses which officially converted to the Project-Based Section 8 program in December 2024, says that the new program, which outsources renovations and maintenance, […]

The Red Hook Star-Revue is providing an update on the quality of Community Board 6’s website, four months after a first look. In September, we found a website displaying information about “talk of the town” issues: the Brooklyn Marine Terminal, the Gowanus rezoning, petitions for street redesigns, links to contact city agencies, and of course, information regarding the board itself. […]

Community Board 6’s December board meeting got off to a rocky start with tech issues plaguing communication from elected officials who attended virtually. Tuning in via Zoom, Red Hook Star-Revue got a front row seat to the malfunctions. The meeting kicked off with announcements from Council Member Alexa Aviles’ outgoing deputy chief of staff, Christina Bottego, who tuned in via […]

2025 was a year of extensive coverage of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal redevelopment process for the Red Hook Star-Revue. But so much happened that it’s easy to forget some of the twists and turns. So, here is the recap. While the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) and then-Mayor Eric Adams began the public engagement phase already in the summer of 2024, […]

The most recent Community Board 6 meeting featured the ongoing battle over Court Street’s new redesign, a narrowly-passed motion on a neighborhood traffic concept and an approval of the annual district needs statement. During the meeting’s public comment session, Carroll Gardens resident Edward Straka expressed skepticism about data pointing towards crashes on Court Street and shared his experience on the […]

As a result of September’s fire at the Beard Street Warehouse, BWAC, which has occupied three stories there since the 1990s, will have to relocate, as they just announced in this press release: “Following the devastating fire at 481 Van Brunt Street in Red Hook last September, the Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition (BWAC) had high hopes that they would be […]