The
Winner: Best Small Circulation Publication
Red Hook StarªRevue
JANUARY 2018
SOUTH BROOKLYN’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
FREE
AFTER DESTROYING LICH, CUOMO SETS HIS SIGHT ON RED HOOK by George Fiala
L
ocals were undoubtedly surprised to see sleepy Red Hook pop up in the middle of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s recent State-ofthe-State address.
infrastructure builders in the world, has grabbed his ear.
Hook got a ferry stop in Atlantic Terminal last summer.
Cuomo’s ideas are a direct echo of the AECOM plan that Ward has been pushing since last year.
He told us and the rest of the state that we have “untapped potential,” and deserve a spanking new subway station in the middle of Atlantic Basin, right near our new ferry - a project of his arch-enemy de Blasio.
The plan involves replacing the Red Hook Container Terminal, and much of the rest of our working waterfront, with gleaming skyscrapers—more than tripling the local population. His company, AECOM, helps build subways, which Ward sees necessary to support the new structures.
We also saw the kind of events that could take place in our backyard with the Formula E races one weekend last summer.
Not content with adding just a subway to our neighborhood, he declared that the container terminal in the Columbia Waterfront District was not very productive and should really move to Sunset Park, freeing up the waterfront for more lucrative activities than mere shipping. No doubt onetime Port Authority Executive Director Chris Ward, who now works for AECOM, one of the largest
Red Hookers have long seen the Cruise Terminal area, which includes Shed 11, as having potential. It has been the Economic Development Corporation (EDC), who controls that side of the waterfront, that has stifled our desires to share the waterfront with the stevedore. Finally, but only after a fight, Red
The Port Authority, who controls the container terminal, has been unwilling to facilitate some community use of underutilized areas of the terminal, instead leasing the land to garbage companies and some sketchy looking trucks. Chris Ward and AECOM are here to stay—the international firm just leased office space in Sunset Park’s Industry City and will be welcomed at the end of the month with a big party sponsored by EDC and the Brooklyn
Chamber of Commerce. Ward tells the Star-Revue that the subway/skyscraper plan is simply the beginning of a conversation—and that his planners are always interested to listen to the neighborhood. Write to him at AECOM, 605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158; Chris. Ward@aecom.com.
Seniors get their own center, and Miccio gets its basement back! by George Fiala
More than five years after their Wolcott Street was damaged by the Hurricane Sandy floodwaters, Red Hook seniors finally moved into a new building of their own. Since the hurricane, seniors were allowed a half day, which included lunch, in the basement of the Miccio Center, 110 West 9th Street. The building next to the Miccio had housed a head-start program, which moved out in 2012. After Sandy, City Councilwoman Sara Gonzalez funded what was thought to be enough money to refurbish the building for the seniors in one years time. Three years and $3 or more million dollars later, the building finally opened with a dance party, lunch, all day programs, a computer room, and new offices for the Raices staff. Still unthought about is the large backyard that had been used as a playground for the children. No doubt the seniors, who can still shake a tail-feather, will provide many ideas to Councilman Menchaca and NYCHA.
MORE OPENING DAY PHOTOS ON PAGE 11
Table of Contents Happenings.............................................2 Look behind and ahead......................12 Religious News.....................................4,5 Pioneer Books......................................14 Good Shepherd.......................................7 January to do......................................14 Red Hook Star-Revue
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