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The Hunt: in the Zone
[by Allison. This may be a somewhat dry post, but I wanted to dive into some of the more technical aspects of real estate that we’re dealing with.]
After agreeing to focus on Red Hook several weeks ago, the group has been scouring the neighborhood for buildings or lots for sale. Our strategy has been a little scattershot, but in casting a wide net we’re hoping that something will turn up.
In our research, we have realized that the zoning in Red Hook is going to severely limit where we can buy and/or build, more so than we originally thought. The zones in Red Hook as determined by the Department of City Planning are as follows:
- R5, R6 (Residential)
- M1-1, M1-2, M2-1, M3-1, and MX-5 (Manufacturing)
- Commercial overlays C1-1 (mostly along Van Brunt St), C1-2 and C1-3 (on a few blocks of Lorraine)
The Red Hook Houses occupies approx. 50% of all R5 and R6 property, so the supply of available residential zoned property is extremely limited.
[Zoning map 16a, from NYC Planning Commission]
Red Hook is a somewhat unusual mix of residential and manufacturing zoning. The industrial nature of the waterfront often conflicts with the inland residential blocks and there is an ongoing struggle between business needs and housing needs. Red Hook was once a bustling, working waterfront, however starting around the 1950‘s, the shipping industry died out and left many warehouses empty. The abundance of these large industrial spaces is one of the factors that first attracted artists to the area in the early ’90’s. These large abandoned warehouses are also attractive to residential developers, but I believe there must be a balance between residential and manufacturing/commercial use in the neighborhood. As the neighborhood grows, it will be very important to maintain a vibrant manufacturing base where local artisans, builders, fabricators and other businesses can thrive.
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