Update on Flood Protection, Last-Mile Warehouses and The Stephen Siller Run By Brian Abate

Flood Insurance

I’ve been in contact with with Jim Tampakis of Tamco Mechanical for the past year regarding the issue of numerous last-mile warehouses moving into Red Hook. He has been pushing for them to use green modes of transportation, including using the waterfront rather than relying solely on trucks.

Tampakis has become an advocate for the Red Hook community, and another issue of concern to him is the steadily rising cost of flood insurance in the neighborhood. A 2020 study by the New York Times found that 14.6 million properties are at risk of a 100-year flood (a flood that has a one percent chance of striking in any year) rather than only 8.7 million properties, as shown on federal government flood maps.

The difference is massive and has resulted in a dramatic increase in the cost of flood insurance throughout the country, including in Red Hook and Gowanus. In New York, 68 percent of policy holders will see a price increase according to another study by the New York Times.

Additionally, there was flooding throughout Gowanus in the aftermath of Hurricane Henri, as politicians including Bill de Blasio continued to push for rezoning in the neighborhood. However, many current residents don’t have adequate flood protection and the rezoning plan will likely compound those issues. The city is relying on data from 2008 that doesn’t take into account increased rainfall and climate change in the rezoning plan’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS.)

“There is no adequate resolution of New York City’s inherent conflict of interest due to its status as a proponent of the rezoning while at the same time being the respondent in multiple enforcement orders intended to rectify harmful pollution damage in the area being rezoned,” said Linda LaViolette, co-chair of the outreach committee for Voice of Gowanus. The organization has spoken out against the city’s current plans for rezoning with support from Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez and assembly member Jo Anne Simon.

For now, the de Blasio administration continues to back the Gowanus rezoning plan despite the concerns of residents and local politicians.

Last-Mile Warehouses

During the past month, Tampakis has continued his efforts to raise awareness about the numerous problems Red Hook residents will face with all of the last-mile warehouses moving into the neighborhood. During the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Run, he worked with other members of the community, including Jo Goldfarb of the BASIS Independent school distributing flyers to bring awareness about the issues the last-mile warehouses can cause.

Both Goldfarb and Tampakis have spoken about the importance of coordinating the efforts of different people and groups like Resilient Red Hook regarding the last-mile warehouses.

“A lot of people are working on this but no one has really been working together,” said Tampakis. “We’re trying to change that and make sure everyone can get on the same page.”

Additionally, Tampakis was expected to meet with Amazon officials to discuss his concerns in September but COVID-related issues have delayed the meeting until October.

Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Run

The Tunnel to Towers run takes place annually to honor Stephen Siller, a firefighter who ran through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel on foot even though it was blocked off for security purposes, to get to the Twin Towers. He lost his life while saving others at Ground Zero.

More than 30,000 people took part in the run and helped raise money for the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which gives back to the community through programs including the Fallen First Responder Home Program, the Smart Home Program, and the Gold Star Family Home Program.

The foundation’s website says Siller “grew up under the guiding philosophy of St. Francis of Assisi, whose encouraging and inspirational phrase ‘while we have time, let us do good’ were words that Stephen lived by. Stephen’s life and heroic death serve as a reminder to us all to live life to the fullest and to spend our time here on earth doing good – this is his legacy.”

Brian Abate