Revitalizing Brooklyn Marine Terminal: A Balance Between Industry and Housing
Just south of Brooklyn Bridge Park, six cranes dot the waterfront. Only one is in service, bringing in around 90,000 containers per year that come to Red Hook’s port – mostly food from Latin America and the Caribbean. The other five cranes at Brooklyn Marine Terminal sit idle, with two condemned, crumbling piers, one in ruins after Hurricane Sandy, and the last hasn’t worked in years.
Land Swap
The area is slated to be transformed, with crucial upgrades to the port and working waterfront that would allow an expansion of consumer goods transported there, taking vehicles off the road. Thousands of new apartments could also be built on the site – and it’s this new housing that’s become a flashpoint in the approval process to create what would be a completely new neighborhood.
The city Economic Development Corporation (EDC) has amassed a task force of over two dozen elected officials and other civic leaders to vote on a vision for the future of the area by March. The EDC is adamant that it can harmoniously redevelop the industrial area with seemingly conflicting uses: newly constructed housing with industry, public waterfront access with a functional port, and resiliency in a flood zone.
Hopes for Housing
The prospect of redeveloping the Brooklyn Marine Terminal into a partly residential neighborhood – with resplendent views of the Statue of Liberty – comes amidst a citywide push to build more housing. Mayor Eric Adams directed agencies to consider all city-controlled land for housing in a bid to develop 500,000 apartments by 2032.
Some generally pro-development politicians who want to maintain full industrial use of Brooklyn Marine Terminal for economic reasons find themselves in delicate political territory. Take Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, for instance, who formed a “housing league” of elected officials to push a pro-development agenda and testified in support of citywide zoning changes meant to spur new development. Yet as a task force member, he wants to maintain the industrial use of the entire Marine Terminal site in alignment with his comprehensive plan for the borough.
Conclusion
The fate of Brooklyn Marine Terminal hangs in the balance as the task force works to reach a consensus. While some members are pushing for a mix of industrial and residential uses, others are advocating for a purely industrial or purely residential approach. The city and state have committed to invest $95 million on a new electric crane, to fix the dilapidated piers, and build cold storage. An additional $164 million federal grant will cover further revitalization. However, more revenue is needed to pay for redeveloping and sustaining the site, even beyond what its operations will generate. Housing, and possibly hotels or retail, would help fill the gap.
FAQs
Q: What is the current state of Brooklyn Marine Terminal?
A: Only one of the six cranes is in service, bringing in around 90,000 containers per year. The other five cranes sit idle, with two condemned, crumbling piers, one in ruins after Hurricane Sandy, and the last hasn’t worked in years.
Q: What is the plan for the site?
A: The city Economic Development Corporation (EDC) is proposing a mixed-use development, with a combination of industrial, residential, and commercial uses. The plan includes building up to 9,000 new apartments, roads through the site, and green space. The working waterfront acreage would be more than halved to accommodate these other uses, with the remainder retained for the port, distribution, and industry.
Q: How will the port be revitalized?
A: The city and state have committed to invest $95 million on a new electric crane, to fix the dilapidated piers, and build cold storage. An additional $164 million federal grant will cover further revitalization. The plan also includes building a new terminal and improving infrastructure to increase efficiency and reduce congestion.
Q: What are the concerns about the plan?
A: Some members of the task force are concerned about the impact on the industrial use of the site, while others are worried about the potential loss of waterfront access and the displacement of existing businesses and residents. Additionally, there are concerns about the financial sustainability of the plan and the need for more revenue to support the redevelopment and operation of the site.
