The Community Working Group charged with seeking input from local civic associations and community leaders on possible development plans for Brooklyn Piers 6-12 has presented its work to the NYC Economic Development Corporation and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.  The two government agencies earlier this year hired planning firm Hamilton Rabinowitz & Alschuler to develop plans for Brooklyn Piers 6-12.  In June, HR&A convened the volunteer Working Group to provide greater community input into its planning study.

Following two orientation meetings and site tours hosted by the Port Authority in June and July, the 22-member group met in several private sessions during the late summer and fall to formulate its recommendations.  Summarized in a concise, four-page document, the recommendations of the Working Group focus on assuring that development of the coveted 120-acre site create tangible benefits for the adjacent communities of Red Hook, Carroll Gardens, Columbia Street, Cobble Hill, DUMBO and Brooklyn Heights.  In a preamble to the planning document, the Working Group urged that activities and investments serve to unify these historic waterfront neighborhoods and that appropriate benefits be considered for all communities.

The Working Group recommended that maritime economic development be the driver for activities along Piers 7-12, and that Pier 6 be planned and developed as part of Brooklyn Bridge Park.  Participants concluded that Piers 7-12, which overlook New York Harbor and Buttermilk Channel, and are currently home to the Red Hook Marine Terminal, should, to the extent possible, continue to support maritime commercial activities.  Local elected officials, such as Congressman Jerry Nadler, pointed out that this facility is one of only two remaining port facilities in Brooklyn.

Working Group Co-Chair, Marilyn Gelber, Executive Director of the Independence Community Foundation, emphasized the need for ongoing, comprehensive, planning based on broad-based community input. “Our group initiated an important set of discussions,” she explained, “but now we need to create a new partnership between the government agencies and the local community in order to advance a plan for the long term future of this incredible section of the Brooklyn waterfront.”
 
Kenneth Adams, President of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce and Co-Chair of the Working Group added, “Investments that strengthen Brooklyn’s economy should also support our neighborhoods.  On Piers 6-12, well-planned and coordinated investments should address the needs of local communities while helping Brooklyn realize the great potential of its waterfront.”  

Jerry Armer, Chairman of Community Board 6, which tracked the HR&A planning effort closely, said he believed that the Working Group had provided a helpful level of additional input.  “This was a diverse group of people who really came together to consider the plans for Piers 6-12 in a thoughtful and cooperative way.”

Port Authority Port Commerce Director Richard M. Larrabee said, "The Port Authority greatly appreciates the commitment and efforts of the members of the Community Working Group.  The insights they provided will be invaluable as we work towards making decisions about the future of Piers 6-12.  The information we have gained will be carefully considered by the Port Authority and the New York City Economic Development Corporation."

Josh Sirefman, Chief Operating Office of the New York City Economic Development Corporation told the Working Group at its last meeting that its recommendations were very helpful and that in the coming weeks his organization would receive the final report from HR&A, complete with all the community input.  “We look forward to reviewing the final study and then continuing our dialog with community stake-holders, neighborhood civic associations and local elected officials.  We will all work on Piers 6-12 together.”
 
The final report of the Piers 6-12 Working Group follows.

Sustaining a Strong and Vibrant Maritime
Community in South Brooklyn

Principles for Effective Planning for Piers 6 – 12

Piers 6 –12 Working Group
November 2003

Members of the Working Group

Kenneth Adams, Marilyn Gelber, Co Chairs
Leah Archibald, Jerry Armer, Jon Benguiat (Borough President Marty Markowitz), Neil Calet, Corri Friedman (Assemblywoman Joan Millman), Rob Gottheim (Congressman Jerry Nadler), Marianna Koval, Rachel Gold (NYS Senator Marty Connor), John McGettrick, Maddy Murphy, Chip Place, Milton Puryear, Debbie Romano, Katie Schmid (Councilman David Yassky), Buddy Scotto, Roy Sloane, Bette Stoltz, Phaedra Thomas, Roberta Weisbrod, Dan Wiley (Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez)

Statement of Purpose

In considering the future re-development of Piers 6-12, the Working Group believes it is important to encourage activities and investments that serve to unify our historic waterfront neighborhoods. From Red Hook and Columbia Street to Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Brooklyn Heights, and DUMBO the residents of our communities should have increased opportunities to benefit from planned new investments along the waterfront. While the benefits may differ for each neighborhood, the unity and economic stability of our communities should be an overriding principle that drives development decision-making. Whether the benefits are social, cultural, educational or economic, they should be directed towards those with the greatest needs and serve to unify people and neighborhoods.

Comprehensive Planning

• The development plans for Piers 6–12 should be subject to a comprehensive public planning process that leads to the creation of a long-term partnership between the public sector ownership entities and adjoining communities. Models for effective on-going community engagement, such as occurred with the Piers 1-5 Local Development Corporation and the Brooklyn Bridge Park Coalition, and other similar efforts should be considered as soon as possible. This new partnership entity would consider both current land-use and tenancy proposals to the Port Authority and the New York City Economic Development Corporation, and future possibilities for a vibrant, economically sustainable maritime community that may eventually incorporate a mix of industrial, commercial and residential activities.
• Pier 6 should be planned and developed as part of Brooklyn Bridge Park (BBP), and the linkage between BBP and Piers 7-12 should be carefully analyzed and considered in a community planning process before a development plan for Pier 6 is finalized. 
• The plan for Piers 7-12 must take into consideration the impact of land-use changes and/or new development on adjoining residential and industrial waterfront neighborhoods. At the same time, the plan should be influenced by regional maritime activity and commerce, including the findings of the Comprehensive Port Improvement Plan.
• Retaining and cultivating waterfront related economic development activities should be a principal driver of the plan. The comprehensive plan should also promote improved mass transit access, better transportation and street design, and improved pedestrian access to the waterfront. The plan should also reflect an understanding of the potential impact of the redevelopment of Governor’s Island, the Brooklyn Navy Yard, the Brooklyn Army Terminal, and the Sunset Park Marine Terminal.

Economic Development Principles

• Maximize the utilization and efficiency of activities on Piers 7-12.
• Retain and enhance maritime activities.
• Maximize the benefit of new jobs and commerce to Brooklyn’s economy, with special emphasis on local employment needs.
• Retain container terminal operations at the Red Hook Marine Terminal at least until plans for a replacement at the Sunset Park Marine Terminal can be fully developed and implemented.
• Wherever possible and reasonable, incorporate public waterfront access components in all new economic development activities.

 Transportation Principles

• New economic development activities that result from public sector actions should be designed to the highest standards, utilizing innovative solutions to avoid promoting increased truck traffic on local residential streets.
• New developments should maximize use of waterborne transportation for people and goods.
• New developments should result in improved transportation connections between adjacent (and particularly underserved) neighborhoods.
• Investments in transportation infrastructure should accompany new economic development activity and serve to improve the quality of life in adjoining communities; better mass transit access, light rail and/or trolley connections and pedestrian greenways, and bicycle paths, should be made integral to the planning of new waterfront development projects. 

Public Access Principles

• Maritime commerce and waterfront access can and should co-exist. Lease renewal discussions should consider currently planned open space projects including, but not limited to, plans for a waterfront “greenway”.
• Where access is not feasible along the water’s edge, it should be provided along the perimeter of the site and at outlooks that provide for viewing of marine operations.
• Waterfront views should be respected and enhanced, and new public viewing areas should be added where feasible.