The Brooklyn Marine Terminal (BMT) Task Force is barreling toward a decision that will irreversibly reshape Red Hook and the Columbia Street Waterfront. Let’s be clear: the proposed redevelopment plan is not about helping communities. It’s a land grab by developers disguised as “revitalization,” and it must be stopped. This isn’t urban planning, it’s a bad real estate deal. We […]

I live in Red Hook, a couple blocks from the water, in one of those mammoth brick buildings that used to be a school. When I lie in bed I can gaze at the World Trade Center spire’s LED light display until it vanishes into the dark sky at precisely 2 am. I love my neighborhood with a passion. I […]

On the day before Earth Day, Harbor Middle School did their part to clean up the area around the school. The Green Team did a Beautify the Block activity where they did a loop around the perimeter of the school picking up trash. Each student got gloves and a plastic bag and they shared a plastic picker to pick up […]

A stunning photo was released after the funeral of Pope Francis, last April 26th: Zelensky, Trump, Macron and Starmer seemingly exchanging amenities ahead of the mass. The message of the photo is clear if read together with the picture of Trump and the Ukrainian leader speaking face-to-face in a corner of Saint Peter Basilica: France and the UK brokered this […]

In early April, The New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC), the quasi-government agency leading the Brooklyn Marine Terminal redevelopment, announced that it would delay the BMT task force’s vote on the vision plan for the site, from April to sometime in June. The vote is currently scheduled for June 18. The delay came in response to loud criticism from […]

Last month we received a press release from the Chairman of the Task Force that will decide the future of Red Hook (I say that because you’ve probably already seen the cover of this issue.) It was short and sweet, and it was emailed a week after the local protest against the BMT, in which this paper published a photo […]

The New York City Council primary is less than three months away, and as campaigns are picking up steam, so are donations. In districts 38 and 39 in South Brooklyn, Incumbents Alexa Avilés (District 38) and Shahana Hanif (District 39) are being challenged by two moderate Democrats, and as we reported last month, big money is making its way into […]

EDC claims only housing can pay for “the port of the future.” There are other options. Later in April, the Brooklyn Marine Terminal task force is set to vote on a vision plan for the massive redevelopment of New York’s last working waterfront. In the last few months, the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) — which is leading […]

You know, it’s interesting to watch public relations at work. Our NYC government has spent almost a year trying to convince us to welcome the addition of many huge luxury towers to the shores of our low rise industrial neighborhood. They began by telling us over and over again how we will finally get a world class shipping terminal to […]

Everyone is outraged with the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) right now. Seriously — everyone. The community (except for a fringe group advocating for more housing). Members of Teamsters Local 814. Maritime experts. Community groups. City councilmembers. State assemblymembers. The Brooklyn Borough President. The Public Advocate. The Comptroller. Even a sitting Congressperson who no longer represent the district due to redistricting. […]