Red Hook Port Wins Reprieve (For Now)

The Red Hook Piers redevelopment plan turned into a many twists and turns sort of situation some time ago. So, it comes as no surprise that the plan to evict American Stevedoring to make way for the remake has been put on hold. For now. The reprieve comes after earlier reports that the company would be out by the end of March. The Daily News reports today:

The city's plan to close down the docks in Red Hook - where hundreds of workers unload cargo from international ships - by the end of the month were halted yesterday, at least temporarily.

"This is a great victory for the Red Hook Port. The clock has stopped," said Matt Yates, spokesman for shipping company American Stevedoring International.

The company will not be evicted at the end of the month when their lease expires, Port Authority officials agreed yesterday.

Instead, proposed changes to the waterfront are expected to require City Council approval, pushing back plans to build a second cruise ship terminal, hotel, beer garden, beverage distributor and maritime businesses.

"The international shipping community can be assured that there will be no interruption of current port operations at the Red Hook container terminal [on] March 31," PA Executive Director Anthony Shorris said last night.

Of course, there are likely to be new developments next week.