Real Journalism written by people
Born and raised in Red Hook, Luquana McGriff makes some of New York City’s most beautiful cakes, cupcakes, and cookies. In 2016, McGriff started her own one-woman dessert-catering company, A Cake Baked in Brooklyn. At the time, she was a 911 dispatcher for the New York City Police Department. She’d held the job since 2001, but a childhood passion for […]
“Live in your world / Play in ours” is a group exhibition that will present works by New York-based emerging artists who work with different media. This exhibition, curated by Red Hook artist Kyoko Hamaguchi, is meant to simulate common elements of a living space. For example, pedestals will be replaced by a dining table on which several artworks will be displayed. “In this […]
Extreme Kids and Crew is holding their sixth annual fundraiser on May 15 at 501 Union Street in Gowanus. Doors open at 7. Extreme Kids and Crew is a nonprofit that provides a welcoming and supportive space for children with disabilities. They have a play space at PS 15 in Red Hook where a ball pit and sensory gym equipment […]
I’m happy to be able to start off this column by cheering some neighborhood heroes on a hard-fought victory. Last year I wrote about the plans of an investor to build a huge apartment building over where the Chase Bank is on Hamilton Avenue. I called it a ridiculous idea, based upon their presentation at the community board. In addition […]
On March 17, the Brooklyn branch of the Gaelic League held its annual St. Patrick’s Day parade outside Rocky Sullivan’s, with members making a short loop from the bar on Beard Street to the shoreline at Erie Basin Park with flags and signs in hand. The political concerns of the group, however, extend far beyond Red Hook. Douglas Hyde, who […]
The mystery of the desolate Red Hook ballfields was solved on March 11, as the Parks Department, along with the EPA, swooped upon the Rec Center for one of their infrequent community updates. They evidently waited until they had something to say, which was that, after years of planning, and a lot of false promises, their contractors were about to […]
A members-only nightclub with 26 private rooms and 26 bathrooms is coming to Red Hook, replete with liquor and a private waitstaff. The principals of KS Dreamland pleaded their case before the Permits & Licenses Committee of Community Board 6, which recommended approval of the club’s liquor license with the only proviso being that they close a bit earlier than […]
Does Red Hook have a neighborhood “style”? Not really, it’s more of a attitude: old ghosts, waterfront grit, industrial innovation, creative hotbed, and a diverse caring community. Motley is another word that comes to mind.We used to have a lot of vacant or underused lots, over the past few years, many of them have been turned into new buildings. We […]
At the start of the Red Hook Civic Association’s February meeting at P.S. 15, Neighborhood Coordination Officers Krystal Class and Vegnel Jovin from the 76th Precinct announced that they’d distributed flyers to local truck drivers to inform them of Red Hook’s designated truck routes. For large vehicles, New York City’s official truck route map limits the neighborhood’s through-traffic to Van […]
Red Hook has a new Jamaican bistro! Jam’it, a block up from DeFonte’s, opened it’s doors last month. A lot of effort was put into the presentation of this Jamaican fusion restaurant. It took over two years after getting the property to finally open, since they had to build a brand-new kitchen in the back and get the building department […]
Red Hook’s baseball fields adjacent to the Rec Center have been closed for many years. Red Hook was told last year by the Parks Department that work would be started to clean up and reopen the fields starting last fall. Of course, any sane person walking by the fields, on either the Bay or Lorraine Street sides, will tell you […]
In late January, the website StreetEasy published a study (of sorts) that determined “The 10 Healthiest Neighborhoods in NYC.” To the surprise of many, Red Hook earned the top spot on the list. StreetEasy is a real estate database that lists New York City properties for sale or rent. It is not a medical authority. Its criteria for neighborhood health […]
Broker Victoria Alexander opened Realty Collective in 2005, which has offices at 223 Columbia Street and 351 Van Brunt Street. While properties they represent can be found throughout Brooklyn, Realty Collective’s agents serve the needs of prospective buyers, sellers and renters for commercial and residential properties located in (but not limited to) Red Hook, Park Slope, Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill, […]
