Category: Uncategorized

           On Friday, November 16th, BWRC hosted a lively discussion on the the future of the Gowanus waterfront. Michelle de la Uz, Fifth Avenue Committee Executive Director, was the first speaker and she outlined the major demographic shifts underway in Gowanus. Most importantly she noted, between 2000 and 2015 much of the neighborhood underwent a major exodus of Latino/a residents in certain Gowanus census tracts; certain census tracts saw a flip from a Latino/a supermajority in 2000 to a majority white tract by 2015. As economic pressures have led to this decrease in the  Latino/a population, de la Uz said, the median household income in Gowanus has spiked nearly 300 percent, rising from around $35,000 per year in 2000 and landing near $90,000 a year in 2015. These massive transformations have ushered in a new set of challenges throughout a neighborhood that is is already home to immense environmental contamination; currently, the highly contaminated Gowanus Canal is also home to the EPA’s federally-mandated Superfund remediation project that seeks to reduce heavy contamination throughout the Gowanus watershed.

              In 2016, after Mayor de Blasio announced plans to rezone Gowanus, land values began to increase, years before the actual rezoning has been unveiled. De la Uz walked audience through one of FAC’s key proposals for the upcoming rezoning — the creation of the city’s first EcoDistrict. The FAC’s proposed EcoDistrict would prioritize equity, resilience, and climate readiness throughout the entire Gowanus community. While the city has never implemented an Eco District, there are strong and successful examples from other cities across the country that New York City could use as a blueprint.

              De la Uz was followed by Andrea Parker, Executive Director of the Gowanus Canal Conservancy (GCC), who walked us through her non-profit’s vision for increasing open space and green infrastructure throughout the Gowanus canal watershed. Critically, Parker outlined the current issues with Combined Sewage Overflow throughout the Gowanus watershed, which leads to repeated canal contamination. While the city’s re-zoning moves forward alongside the Superfund remediation project, Parker reminded the audience that setting mandatory standards for green and blue infrastructure remain critical to any efforts which seek to build a climate-resilient, ecologically sound neighborhood. Parker suggested that the city’s rezoning could mandate a comprehensive set of standards for green infrastructure, alongside resilient design for newly created open space. Altogether, these opportunities for ecologically sound design could help Gowanus’ long-term residential communities thrive — and remain — in their neighborhood.

                Both FAC and the Gowanus Canal Conservancy play a critical role in the Gowanus Neighborhood Coalition for Justice (GNCJ), which is a grassroots coalition of stakeholders that are leading the rezoning process and outcomes. Key to their framework is the advancement of racial and economic justice, the preservation and expansion of affordable housing, and the promotion of environmental justice. In the coming months, both organizations will help steer the community’s response to de Blasio’s rezoning proposal and aim to secure equitable outcomes, green design standards, and more for Gowanus’ long-term residents.

“Housing along the Brooklyn Waterfront” Call for Papers 

BWRC seeks a candidate to research and write a white paper that will set the context for our Spring 2019 Conference, “Housing along the Brooklyn Waterfront: Then and Now” (working title). Although the project intends to create an accessible and comprehensive historical account of housing within the geographic area, proposals are welcome from several disciplinary perspectives. 

An honorarium will be awarded to the selected candidate, and BWRC will schedule periodic meetings to consult with the candidate between November 1st, 2018 and February 1st, 2019. The final deliverable will be between 20-40 pages and will be published in the conference program. We welcome supplemental digital materials; the white paper will be published on our website <brooklynwaterfront.org>.

Eligible candidates should have an academic affiliation and demonstrated scholarly expertise in urban history; urban planning; urban development; and/or New York City history.

Applicants should prepare a 500-word prospectus and submit, with a brief cover letter, a one-page CV and a list of relevant publications by November 16th to Director Richard Hanley at rhanley@citytech.cuny.edu. Questions and inquiries can be directed to Director Richard Hanley.

The Brooklyn Waterfront Research Center (BWRC) presents Brooklyn Waters, a full-day conference on sea level rise, sustainability, and resiliency along the Brooklyn waterfront. Brooklyn Waters will examine how preparation for storm surge and rising tides has already remade – and is set to radically remake – the coastal areas of Kings County.

While the Brooklyn waterfront holds much in common with other coastal regions—and with those of its sister boroughs— the challenges it faces are unique. The past two decades have ushered in a dramatic transformation of the Brooklyn waterfront district’s built environment. Now, we are faced with yet another dramatic waterfront transformation in the coming two decades, one the will be driven by the unwieldy forces of ecological systems.

The conference opens with a provocative primer on sea level rise, subsidence, and storm surges. A panel will discuss how these issues have already catalyzed change along the water—in the waterfront’s infrastructure, its transportation systems, its low-lying communities, and its public housing. The core of the conference, however, will center on the question: What is the future of Brooklyn’s built and natural waterfront?

Brooklyn Waters will offer a diverse set of perspectives on the topic of future interventions and approaches to rising tides. Various waterfront community leaders will share their grassroots planning efforts. City officials will speak about both the near and long-term promises of resiliency planning. Architects will debate the role and limits of design in creating resilient neighborhoods. Environmental experts will discuss efforts to protect Brooklyn’s natural and constructed shorelines, including Jamaica Bay and Brooklyn Bridge Park. The conference’s agenda will span the gamut from urban policy, engineering, community activism, to land use. 

Please register here & reserve your seat today.

Brooklyn Waters Panels:

A Waterfront Transformed: Exploring Civic, Government and Design Responses to Sea-level rise & Storm Surge

The first panel will look at the issues created by climate change and sea-level rise from a variety of perspectives and places. This panel will explore about new guidelines for building in a sustainable manner along the waterfront; the way designers have integrated sustainable planning into two significant residential developments in North Brooklyn; what “resilience” means in the context of public housing in Red Hook; what changing flood maps and the resulting changes in flood insurance rates might mean to small homeowners in communities like Canarsie; steps that large industrial developments along the waterfront like the Brooklyn Navy Yard are taking to become resilient; and how environmental justice can be achieved in waterfront communities faced with these challenges

Built or Natural? Stewarding & Safeguarding Brooklyn’s Diverse Waterfront Communities

Panel two focuses on two jewels of the Brooklyn waterfront: one built and one natural. Panelists will explain how the first, Brooklyn Bridge Park, was designed for resilience and how the second, Jamaica Bay, is the object of study and efforts to keep it sustainable. Jamaica Bay is a collection of various endangered ecosystems—salt marshes, fresh ponds, beaches, and dunes—that are of intrinsic value in themselves as well as being important to the ecology of the region. We will hear from panelists representing organizations engaged in this work of study, preservation, and resilience.

Resiliency & Beyond: A Round-Table Discussion on the future of planning, governing and design within our climate-altered future

The last session of the day will feature a forward-facing discussion that will invite conference participants to jump into the discussion. Representatives from the Mayor’s Office of Recovery & Resilience will be joined by Council Member Carlos Menchaca as well as community leaders and architects. This forward-looking group of panelist will tackle the often side-stepped, more macro-questions: What are some near-term and far-term developments for which New York City citizens should be prepared? What emerging realities – managed retreat, widening flood plains, transformed housing demands – should be centered more in our public debate about climate change? What will the challenges posed by Brooklyn’s waterfront geography demand of both citizens and government alike?

Light refreshments and a full lunch will be served. For further questions and information, please contact ccastellan@gradcenter.cuny.edu . 

On Friday, September 22^nd BWRC welcomed 25 Belgian urban planners to City Tech for a discussion about design initiatives along the Brooklyn waterfront. To kick-off our waterfront exploration, BWRC hosted two design scholars to share remarks on their respective Brooklyn-based projects.

Dan Campo (Ph.D. Director of the Graduate Program in City & Regional Planning at Morgan State University), shared a compelling overview of his research on improvisational park-making practices along the Brooklyn waterfront. Accidental Playground (2013), Campo’s ethnographic exploration of the Brooklyn Eastern Terminal District, surveys the methods used by waterfront residents as they fought to create and protect public space in the yet-to-be developed waterfront during the early 2000s. Campo’s presentation followed the thrust of his research, asking the crucial question: can contemporary urban residents continue to create organic uses of public space in the face of accelerating urban development? Campo closed by posing a direct question to the Belgian delegation – how can professional planners plan urban communities that allow for, and even encourage, democratic and improvisational uses?

Adam Lubinsky of WZY architecture firm presented about his integrated design work in the Brooklyn Tech Triangle. Lubinksy explained some of the unique characteristics of the Tech Triangle, namely the large number of new tech jobs that the city plans to integrate into the area, as well as the high-density of 12 universities (home to over 60,000 students). Specifically, WXY’s planning work on the area aims to re-think and re-tool previously underutilized spaces within the Triangle in an effort to absorb the anticipated increase in workers and students over the next five years. With a specific focus on The Strand Action Plan, the WXY firm has drawn up a plan to weave together currently disjointed public spaces throughout the Tech Triangle. By creating a connected corridor of public spaces, the Strand Action Plan aims to remediate some of negative spatial impacts of the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. The Brooklyn Tech Triangle project is a dynamic and complex project that takes its cues from multiple stakeholders. Currently, all feasibility studies are coordinated by the New York City Economic Development Corporation, while all public engagement efforts are spearheaded by private the interest group, the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership.

After our keynoters presented their waterfront research, the Belgian urban planners were given a guided tour of the Brooklyn Navy Yard by Andrew Gustafson, President of Turnstile Tours.

Overall, BWRC was thrilled to facilitate a day-long conversation with our international planning colleagues. Campo and Lubinsky’s presentations served as a fruitful catalyst for a day-long exploration into the possibilities for developing the waterfront’s built environment. BWRC looks forward to hosting similar planning delegations in the semesters to come!

BWRC offers a special thanks to delegation facilitator, Jens Aerts (Planner for Bureau for Urbanism), Dean Justin Vazquez-Poritz (Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at New York City College of Technology) and the Rick Russo, Senior Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce.

BWRC offered its final breakfast talk of the spring semester On May 19. The featured speaker was Joanne Witty, who discussed her recent book Brooklyn Bridge Park: A Dying Waterfront Transformed, co-authored by the late Henrik Krogius. A lawyer and environmentalist, Ms. Witty was directly involved in the creation and development of Brooklyn Bridge Park. Beginning in 2002, she served as director of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Development Corporation, responsible for the park’s master plan, and as vice president of the current Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation. Her book documents the area’s transformation from a disused port facility to a thriving public park, involving the Port Authority, the Brooklyn Heights community, and several mayoral administrations.

Ms. Witty’s presentation traced the park’s history from the 1980s to the present, while illuminating competing priorities and complex negotiations in its journey from vision to reality. The talk touched on land use, economics and real estate, which generated a lively discussion about the costs and benefits of Brooklyn Bridge Park. The audience delved into current issues surrounding the Park, including residential development at Pier 6, a recent source of contention. Ms. Witty explained that financial sustainability has always been a cornerstone of the Brooklyn Bridge Park project and remains necessary for its future. In all, the talk highlighted important milestones in the history of Brooklyn Bridge Park, and a range of concerns that define this vital part of the Brooklyn waterfront

To learn more about Joanne Witty and Brooklyn Bridge Park: A Dying Waterfront Transformed, visit http://brooklynbridgeparkbook.com/.

BWRC held its first-ever full day conference at Borough Hall on March 31, with support from the New York City Economic Development Corporation and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The conference explored the challenges of  “Moving Goods and People to, from, and along the Brooklyn Waterfront” with two panels and a keynote speaker. The conference drew leading providers and local experts in freight and passenger transportation. The event was well-attended, filling the main courtroom to capacity, and it was covered by the Brooklyn Eagle.

The conference opened with introductions by BWRC Director Richard Hanley and Camille Kamga of the University Transportation Research Center. BWRC project coordinator Inna Guzenfeld provided a historical overview, followed by Christopher Clott, of SUNY Maritime College, who outlined New York’s shipping and maritime context. The morning panel, titled “Moving Goods Along the Brooklyn Waterfront” assembled a group of industry professionals, with strong representation from Red Hook.

Edward Kelly who heads the Maritime Association of the Port of NY-NJ, introduced the speakers and moderated the discussion. Robert Hughes of Erie Basin Bargeport, Michael Stamatis of the Red Hook Container Terminal, and Gregory Brayman of Phoenix Beverages all emphasized the importance of retaining an active port in Brooklyn. Council Member Carlos Menchaca, a returning panelist from last year’s BWRC conference on manufacturing, discussed strategies to preserve manufacturing jobs in Southwest Brooklyn. Panelists also raised the issues of waterfront zoning and conflicts between residential development and maritime use. Patrick Thrasher provided an update on the Port Authority’s car float program, which operates between Greenville Yards in Jersey City and the 65th Street Rail Yard in Sunset Park.

After a brief Q&A, BWRC was pleased to offer lunch with a keynote presentation by Congressman Jerrold Nadler, a longtime supporter of the working waterfront, who spoke about the Cross-Harbor Rail Tunnel. Congressman Nadler cited a startling statistic: Over 40% of freight moves by rail in Midwestern cities, but in the New York region, which is highly truck-dependent, rail accounts for less than 1% of all goods movement. Congressman Nadler also alluded to the environmental impacts of trucking and the need for cleaner, more sustainable ports. 

Attendees then proceeded to the afternoon panel on passenger transportation, which was split into two parts to accommodate all the speakers. In Part 1, the audience heard from representatives of two community groups, Alan Minor of Neighbors Allied for Good Growth and Ryan Chavez of UPROSE; and two others spoke from larger organizations:Eliot Matz from the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation and Andrew Hoan from the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. These four panelists discussed the need for resilient transit that serves community needs, while responding to climate change on the Brooklyn waterfront. Eliot Matz revealed that the Brooklyn Navy Yard expects to be housing 20,000 jobs by 2020, and outlined the Yard’s plan to provide greater mobility for employees. Andrew Hoan emphasized the need for infrastructure investments to accommodate Brooklyn’s accelerating growth. 

Part 2 provided a truly multi-modal perspective with Dani Simons, of Motivate, which operates CitiBike, Franny Civitano, of NYC Ferry by Hornblower, and Adam Giambrone, who directs the Brooklyn Queens Connector (BQX) project. Matthew Daus, the former Taxi & Limousine Commissioner and expert on Transportation Networking Companies rounded out the panel. Panelists discussed the roles that different modes play in moving people to, from, and along the Brooklyn waterfront and how (semi) private transportation can supplement public transit.

After a short break, BWRC reconvened the afternoon panelists for a closing discussion and Q&A, moderated by Roland Lewis of the Waterfront Alliance. As expected, the BQX drew many questions from the audience, which led to a lively discussion about funding, development, and resiliency. Attendees also raised the issue of community involvement in the rollout of new transportation modes, such as ferries and streetcars.

Richard Hanley provided closing remarks, and announced the subject for BWRC’s 2018 conference: coastal resiliency along the Brooklyn waterfront. BWRC is grateful to the many panelists who took part in this year’s program, and our sponsors, including the New York City College of Technology and the University Transportation Research Center. Thanks again to NYCEDC and the Port Authority for supporting a full-day conference this year. Finally, we would like to thank photographer Robin Michals for documenting  the event and Kristin Cassidy, Inna Guzenfeld, and Sean Scanlan for organizing the conference. We look forward to seeing everyone in 2018!

Friday March 31, 2017, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Brooklyn Borough Hall, 209 Joralemon Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201

RSVP required via Eventbrite

In the mid-twentieth century, before its decades’ long decline, the Brooklyn waterfront buzzed with the movement of ships and trains and trucks and trolleys and people. The goods that moved to and fro along the waterfront came from around the world, but many, if not most of the workers moving along the same waterfront came from adjacent neighborhoods – Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Vinegar Hill, Sunset Park, and Red Hook. Many of those workers walked to job sites at large warehouse and factory complexes at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Bush Terminal, the Domino Sugar processing complex, and the Brooklyn Army Terminal. The workers serviced ships, moved goods, processed coffee, and sugar and worked in manufacturing.

There was much less movement along the Brooklyn waterfront in the latter part of the twentieth century as first the shipping industry and then other industries moved, taking jobs and many of the workers with them. After more than a generation, the Brooklyn waterfront is moving once again, but it is a different kind of movement and for different reasons. There are now and soon will be more residents of high-rise towers in neighborhoods that were formerly characterized by low-rise tenements, brownstones, and high-rise public housing. There is still a Navy Yard, Bush Terminal (now Industry City), and Brooklyn Army Terminal, but no Domino Sugar plant. There are scores of thousands of tourists visiting sites along the Brooklyn waterfront. What is left of the transportation infrastructure is overtaxed and insufficient to accommodate the needs for moving along the Brooklyn waterfront.

This joint, full day conference, sponsored by BWRC and the University Transportation Research Center, has as its goal as comprehensive a conversation as we can about the transportation needs of the communities, businesses, and visitors along the Brooklyn waterfront. Some of the questions that will be asked are: Have those needs been studied? Who are the community-based actors working on these issues and what are they saying? How are city, state, and local officials planning to address the issues? There are many means of transportation and transportation infrastructures in place or proposed: subways, barges, buses, trucks, ferries, private shuttles, freight rails, the Brooklyn Greenway, bicycles, a light rail system, car sharing services such as Uber and Lyft, and even a gondola to replace the L line. Are, or could, these systems be sufficient to meet the needs? Trying to answer these and other transportation questions will be our keynote lunch speaker, Congressman Jerrold Nadler, representatives of maritime industries, elected and appointed officials, representatives from waterfront communities, developers of residential, commercial, and industrial properties, and transportation scholars.

Full-day attendees of the conference will be offered lunch.