So what do we have here? Red Hook East and Red Hook West, together home to nearly 6,300 residents in a total of 30 buildings. Some are two stories, others stretch up to six stories tall. Built by the New York City Housing Authority and designed by architect Alfred Easton Poor, the complex was completed back in 1939. Imagine, when these buildings were finished, they were seen as the future of living-modern kitchens, bathrooms, laundry facilities, even vermin-proofing! And fireproof, too, because we only need one Great Fire of Brooklyn, thank you very much.
When it was freshly built, these residences were all about optimism. In fact, Marion Greenwood painted a fresco titled "Blueprint for Living" in the lobby to inspire a harmonious future. Eleanor Roosevelt herself even came to check it all out, making it quite the VIP visit.
But it's not all rosy history. In 1992, the tragic death of P.S. 15 principal Patrick Daly brought crime and safety concerns into the public eye. And then, there’s the devastation of Hurricane Sandy in 2012, which flooded the area with six feet of water, leaving the residents without power and water for months. Talk about a bad day!
Thankfully, the Red Hook Houses are bouncing back. A $560 million grant from FEMA is funding extensive renovations-new roofs, flood barriers, electrical systems, and a brand-new building for boiler equipment, among other updates. By the way, the flood barrier is designed like a "lily pad" in the middle of courtyards. Sounds fancy, right?
As of 2022, this massive revitalization project was expected to wrap up, bringing in a new era for this historic community.
Well, that's the Red Hook Houses for you-a place of history, resilience, and ongoing transformation. Ready to move on to the next stop?
