Although it’s been stripped of all its good decorative elements, the buildings emptied and marked for demolition, the former Russo Realty Empire on the ass end of Smith Street still stands. We had expected it to be demolished a year ago, but like the gentleman who presided over Notary District until his death, it perseveres. […]

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We don’t know what Hop Obama tastes like, having never sampled the brewski, but we do know that it is has brought chuckles today. This morning Brownstoner reported that the Feds “recently forced the beer maker to shut down production of its popular ‘Hop Obama’ line started during campaign season. Even the Department of Homeland […]

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[Renderings courtesy of Curbed and Racked] This, friends, is the first look at the humongous Red Hook Mall planned by developer Joe Sitt on the site of the former Revere Sugar Dome. This blockbuster comes courtesy of our compadres at Curbed and at Racked, which have full photogalleries of the plans. The details are that […]

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[Photo courtesy of Deborah Matlack] Yes, the sunsets in Coney Island are beautiful, especially this time of year when the sun sets over the water, but they’re spectacular in Red Hook too as this pic from our dedicated contributor Deborah Matlack shows.

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[Click to enlarge photo] GL readers know of our love for the former Revere Sugar Dome and factory in Red Hook and our anger that developer Joe Sitt leveled the site, whereas something brilliantly creative could have been done with it by city officials with vision. But we digress. Late last night, Adam Suerte, the […]

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This covers so much territory that we don’t even know where to begin. The info comes from our most valued Red Hook source and much has been reported here and there, but it makes a strong impression viewed in its entirety. We think we’ll just let the tipster tell the stories: The consortium that operates […]

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[Photo courtesy of Deborah Matlack] We used to think this was one of the scariest looking buildings in Brooklyn. It’s the old grain terminal in Red Hook. Sometimes we still think it is. But when its captured in this kind of beautiful light by contributor Deborah Matlack, even ominous structures can take on an attractive […]

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[Photo courtesy scaredy kat/flickr] With all the attention being paid to whether or not LeNell’s is closing, there is other news to report of closure in Red Hook. First, however, we will turn to a colorful detail about LeNell’s (and what detail about her and her place isn’t?) from a prized Red Hook store has […]

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One of our oldest Red Hook sources sent us a link to this ad on Craigslist yesterday that made us laugh out loud. It is from CL’s “farm and garden” section (who knew?) and concerns a rooster in the neighborhood that needs a new name. For some godawful reason the rooster’s name is Alicia Jr. […]

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[Photo courtesy of nine6sevenfour/GL Flick Pool] Just a little moment in time at Botanica in Red Hook.

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Here’s a free event, after you probably spent all your money on too much booze and/or other stuff this New Year’s Eve. This Thursday (New Years Day, 1/1/09!), as part of the 15th Annual Alternative day of Spoken Word Extravaganza, Mermaid Hawley and Bluesman have 6 minutes to “save Coney Island” sometime between 6-8pm (said […]

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Amy Haimerl, the co-director of the Red Hook Dog Association, gave up the good news that a petition many residents, dog lovers and supporters have signed succeeded at swaying Community Board 6 to extend the hours of Coffey Park from 10-11pm (for all park goers), and designate Coffey Park as the 89th off-leash park in […]

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[Photo courtesy of New York Pubic Library] This is the Erie Basin in Red Hook, which was home to maritime industries for generations and is now the home of the Red Hook Ikea, as it looked in 1920.

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We have to say we’re amused by this post about Red Hook, not because of what it says, but because of what it real doesn’t. The hint is the photo of the Revere dome it includes at the top, whose demolition started two years ago this month and whose site is now an empty lot […]

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The Red Hook pier where the Real World Brookyn cast has been living has been revealed and it’s quite something, full of Brooklyn paraphernalia that most of us wouldn’t be caught dead with. There are also personal details about the cast members, which includes one transgender person. More photos are said to be coming too.–Gothamist

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PortSide New York will host a birthday bash for the tanker Mary Whalen on Saturday, December 6th, from 11am to 5pm (rain date is Sunday, December 7th). This will be the first public event in the Atlantic Basin. Highlights include free cake, music and open house tours of the Whalen all day long. In addition, […]

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There was news last week that the Red Hook Initiative was losing their office space. Well, they’ve sent out an email about trying to secure some new space: Many of you have heard about our space dilemma—the PAL was no longer able to provide space for RHI. Currently we are occupying a one room studio […]

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[Photo for GL Courtesy of Adrian Kinloch/Brit in Brooklyn] There is a reason they call it a container port as this shot from local photographer, photoblogger and GL Contribiutor Adrian Kinloch shows.

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[Photo courtesy of New York Public Library] You know the sort of scary-looking grain terminal in Red Hook on Gowanus Bay? This is what it used to look like back when it was in operation. The photo is undated, so it’s unclear when this was.

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[Photo courtesy of New York Public Library] This is a photo showing “social conditions” in Red Hook via the state of some of the housing stock in the 1930s. We could swear we recognize one or two of those buildings.

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[Photo courtesy of vaduzuvunt/GL Flickr Pool] The sunsets in Red Hook are always special, even when power lines are part of them. (As a point of interest, this is the 10,000th post on Gowanus Lounge.)

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For those of you who never got to see D.W. Young’s documentary about Red Hook, A Hole in a Fence, fret not. The DVD will be available just in time for the holiday gift giving!) on December 9th for $19.95. In addition to the documentary -which chronicles the evolution of the off-the-beaten-path neighborhood from a […]

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Have you taken the New York Water Taxi ferry to or from Ikea in Red Hook? Well, now you can, via the magic of this YouTube vid sent to us by a GL Reader. Happy sailing.

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[Photo courtesy of Spiffae/GL Flickr Pool] Here’s a gorgeous shot of the Atlantic Basin in Red Hook courtesy of Spiffae and our GL Flickr Pool.

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This is the winner of the Red Hook Bicycle Design Master Plan Competition sponsored by the Forum for Urban Design. It comes from Jonathan Rule. The goals was to come up with ideas to make Red Hook “the most bicycle friendly neighborhood in all of New York.” All of the finalists and honorable mentions can […]

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