Once part of South Brooklyn, Red Hook now combines elements of its long history with more recent trends in neighborhood change. Industry, working class housing, and maritime activity dating from the 19th century and New Deal projects like Red Hook Houses and the Goldman pool contrast with new arrivals such as boutiques and restaurants, repurposed warehouses hosting art galleries and New York institutions like Fairway, and the big box Ikea. Development tradeoffs have brought new waterside parks while vacant plots await further development. We will end at Red Hook Park where lunch can be purchased from the Red Hook Food Vendors, Ecuadoran, Columbian, and Mexican immigrants whose success adds another chapter to Red Hook’s history.

Date: Saturday May 5, 2012

Time: 10:00am-12:30pm

Event Start: Corners of Atlantic Avenue and Court Street, on the Atlantic Ave. side of Trader Joe’s

Event End: Red Hook Park

Host: Deborah Gardner, of the Roosevelt House at Hunter College

Registration: No need to RSVP, just show up at the posted meeting location.

Accessibility: Partially Accessible – curbs, uneven terrain, busy sidewalks.