"The Transoms of Red Hook"

We dig Forgotten New York, the website with historical information on hundreds of NYC neighborhoods and landmarks, both existing and, well, disappeared or forgotten. Over the next couple of weeks, we're going to be linking to some of their more interesting or recently updated pages on Brooklyn neighborhoods. Any of the pages on the site are worth a look because of the treasure trove of historical photos and information that is there.

The Red Hook section has just gotten major new additions, including a lot of Todd Shipyard before and after Ikea demolition photos.

Here's some of what the site says about Red Hook:

...The western Brooklyn neighborhood is now in line to get some high-income spillover action from neighboring Cobble Hill. Will high rents and million dollar condos vault over the Gowanus Expressway and and engulf this isolated province, whose quiet, not-quite tree-lined streets have been silent since the big cargo ships stopped docking at Erie Basin? Will the coming of Fairway Supermarket and perhaps, Ikea furniture turn Red Hook into a big parking lot with its narrow roads crammed with Cobble Hillers and Sunset Parkers looking for lettuce and night tables?

Well, let them come, because in Forgotten NY we'll record perhaps the last days of Red Hook before it becomes a soccer mom or trust fund kid mecca. On this page, we'll concentrate on the more desolate areas of Red Hook, before they become less welcoming to people with a Forgotten NY income.

Highly recommended.