HISTORY
tidal marsh industry today
HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF BROOKLYN SIX DUTCH TOWNS Gravesend, settled in 1645 Breuckelen, settled in 1646 New Amersfoort (present-day Flatlands), settled in 1647 Midwout (present-day Flatbush), settled in 1652 New Utrecht, settled in 1657 Boswijck (present-day Bushwick), settled in 1661 1664 - The English Take Control In 1664, the English conquer the Dutch and gain control of Manhattan, along with Brooklyn, which then becomes a part of the colony of New York. On November 1, 1683, the six colonies that make up Brooklyn are established as Kings County. 1776 - The Battle of Brooklyn It is August of 1776 when the Battle of Brooklyn, one of the first skirmishes between the British and the Americans in the Revolutionary War, takes place. George Washington positions troops in Brooklyn, and fighting occurs throughout many present-day neighborhoods, including Flatbush and Park Slope. The British defeat the Americans, but because of bad weather, the American troops are able to flee to Manhattan. Many soldiers are thus saved. Late 1800s - Brooklyn Thrives In 1897, the Brooklyn Museum opens, though at the time it is known as the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences. In 1898, Brooklyn merges with New York City and becomes one of its five boroughs. The next year, in 1899, the Brooklyn Children s Museum, the world s first children s museum, opens its doors to the public. Early 1900s - Bridges, Tunnels, and a Sports Stadium When the Williamsburg Bridge opens in 1903, it is the largest suspension bridge in the world. Five years later, in 1908, the city s first subway begins running trains between Brooklyn and Manhattan. In 1909, the Manhattan Bridge is completed. Ebbets Field opens in 1913, and the Brooklyn Dodgers, formerly known as the Bridegrooms and then the Trolley Dodgers, have a new place to play. 1929 to 1964 - A Skyscraper Comes to Brooklyn Brooklyn s tallest building, the Williamsburgh Savings Bank, is completed in 1929. In 1957, the New York Aquarium comes to Coney Island, and the Dodgers leave Brooklyn. Seven years later, in 1964, the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge is completed, connecting Brooklyn to Staten Island. Source: Kristen Goode, former About.com Guide 1801 to 1883 - Famous Landmarks are Built In 1801, the Brooklyn Navy Yard opens. A little more than a decade later, in 1814, the steam ship Nassau begins service between Brooklyn and Manhattan. Brooklyn s economy grows, and it is incorporated as the City of Brooklyn in 1834. Soon after, in 1838, the Green-Wood Cemetery is created. Twenty years later, in 1859, the Brooklyn Academy of Music is formed. Prospect Park opens to the public in 1867, and one of Brooklyn s most famous landmarks, the Brooklyn Bridge, is opened in 1883. 1964 to Present - Continuing Growth In 1966, the Brooklyn Navy Yard closes and becomes New York s first land marked historic district. The 1980s bring about the Metro Tech Center, a high-rise development in downtown Brooklyn, the Brooklyn Philharmonic, and the beginnings of the Brooklyn Bridge Park. Baseball comes to Brooklyn once more in 2001, with the Brooklyn Cyclones playing from Coney Island s KeySpan Park. In 2006, the U.S. Census Bureau calculates Brooklyn s population at 2,508,820.
DEVELOPMENT TIMELINE 1636 Dutch Colonization of New Amsterdam (New York) settled Roode Hoek (Red Hook) 1637 Walter Van Twiller from Holland purchases Governors Island from the Lanape for 2 ax heads, a string of beads, and a handful of nails 1664 English Conquest of New Amsterdam (Dutch New York) 1776 Forts constructed on Governors Island + Red Hook 1839 City of Brooklyn publishes a plan to create streets 1834 Brooklyn is officially a city 1848 the Great Fire of Brooklyn 1858 water infrastructure established from Ridgewood Reservoir 1883 Brooklyn Bridge is built 1860 Brooklyn is the third largest city in the USA 1918 Governors Island rail road constructed 1964 BQE completed 2001 22 acres of Governors Island is preserved as a national monument 1990 LIFE magazine named Red Hook as worst neighborhood in the US 2007 Design competition to redevelop Governors Island 2001 The US government sells Governors Island to the NY public for $1 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000 BROOKLYN >late 1600 s By 1684 all Native Americans were sold to European settlers 1776-1783 British occupation of NY metro area 1900-1950 s Mass urbanization of the East River Shore 1936-1964 The Brooklyn Queens Expressway is planned and completed costing $137 million 1934-1968 Robert Moses completes 13 expressways in New York City + Brooklyn RED HOOK 1636-1776 Red Hook is settled by Dutch immigrants, who created tidal mill ponds in low lying areas 1840 s Entrepreneurs built ports along the coast 1920 s - 1960 s Red Hook is the busiest freight port in the world 1960 s - 1990 s Hooverville is a nickname given to the Red Hook neighborhood due to large numbers of homeless GOVERNORS ISLAND > 1600 s Governors Island is called Pagganck (Nut Island) by the Manhatas Indians, who lived on the island, for the hickory, oak and chestnut trees Early 1900 s Fill from the excavation for the Lexington Subway line adds 103 acres of Governors Island to total 172 acres in 1912 1966-1996 Governors Island is used for the National Coast Guard 2001-Now Governors Island is preserved as a national monument and public park
NATURAL ENVIRONMENT Topography Climate
TOPOGRAPHY
Flood zones
ashrae 90.1
temperature
solar
wind
BUILT ENVIRONMENT Land Use Building Massing Open Space Mobility
land use Residential Buildings Mixed Residential & commercial Buildings Commercial / Office Buildings Industrial / Manufacturing open Space and Outdoor Recreation Public Facilities & Institutions Transportation & Utility Parking Facilities Vacant Land All Others or No Data
building massing Fort Jay Brooklyn Battery Tunnel A GOVERNORS ISLAND Atlantic Basin C B UPPER BAY B Waterfront Museum RED HOOK Coffey Park A C
open space Brooklyn Battery Tunnel COBBLE HILL A GOVERNORS ISLAND Atlantic Basin B CARROL GARDENS B UPPER BAY Valentino Park A C Coffey Park Waterfront Museum Gowanus Canal C
traffic
marine transport
subway DOWNTOWN MANHATTAN Stations Bowling Green Broad St Fulton St Rector St 2011 27,015 5,746 63,203 8,902 8,083 Rector St South Ferry / Whitehall 29,583 Wall St 25,559 Wall St 22,986 TOTAL 191,077 DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN Stations Clark St DeKalb Av Court St /Borough Hall High St Hoyt St Hoyt-Schermerhorn Sts Jay St-MetroTech Nevins St 2011 5,596 17,180 38,026 6,586 6,535 9,760 38,036 11,708 TOTAL 133,427 URBANEER SITE 2011 Carroll St Bergen St 11,906 11,048 TOTAL 22,954
bus Atlantic Ave Columbia St Van Brunt St Dwight St MTA - B 61 24H SERVICE 7 days a week 5pm - 12am Every 12 min 12am - 6am Every 20 min 7am - 5pm Every 7-9 min IKEA SHUTTLE Borough Hall subway stations from 3pm to 9pm daily Monday through Friday every half hour and Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 9pm every 20 minutes.
SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT Census Tracks Population Racial Distribution Household Income Occupation Property Value Housing Density
Census tracks Brooklyn Battery Tunnel COBBLE HILL COLUMBIA STREET WATERFRONT DISTRICT GOVERNORS ISLAND Atlantic Basin CARROL GARDENS UPPER BAY Van Brunt Street RED HOOK Gowanus Canal
POPULATION Brooklyn Battery Tunnel COBBLE HILL COLUMBIA STREET WATERFRONT DISTRICT GOVERNORS ISLAND Atlantic Basin CARROL GARDENS UPPER BAY Van Brunt Street RED HOOK Gowanus Canal
RACIAL DISTRIBUTION Brooklyn Battery Tunnel COBBLE HILL COLUMBIA STREET WATERFRONT DISTRICT GOVERNORS ISLAND Atlantic Basin CARROL GARDENS Van Brunt Street RED HOOK Source: NYTimes Mapping the 2010 Census Gowanus Canal
racial distribution on site Brooklyn Battery Tunnel COBBLE HILL COLUMBIA STREET WATERFRONT DISTRICT GOVERNORS ISLAND Atlantic Basin CARROL GARDENS Van Brunt Street RED HOOK Gowanus Canal
household Income Brooklyn Battery Tunnel COBBLE HILL COLUMBIA STREET WATERFRONT DISTRICT GOVERNORS ISLAND Atlantic Basin CARROL GARDENS Van Brunt Street RED HOOK Source: NYTimes Mapping the 2010 Census Gowanus Canal
household Income on site Brooklyn Battery Tunnel COBBLE HILL COLUMBIA STREET WATERFRONT DISTRICT GOVERNORS ISLAND Atlantic Basin CARROL GARDENS UPPER BAY Van Brunt Street RED HOOK Gowanus Canal
OccupatIon Brooklyn Battery Tunnel COBBLE HILL COLUMBIA STREET WATERFRONT DISTRICT GOVERNORS ISLAND Atlantic Basin CARROL GARDENS Van Brunt Street RED HOOK Gowanus Canal
Property value Brooklyn Battery Tunnel COBBLE HILL COLUMBIA STREET WATERFRONT DISTRICT GOVERNORS ISLAND Atlantic Basin CARROL GARDENS Van Brunt Street RED HOOK Source: NYTimes Mapping the 2010 Census Gowanus Canal
housing density Brooklyn Battery Tunnel COBBLE HILL COLUMBIA STREET WATERFRONT DISTRICT GOVERNORS ISLAND Atlantic Basin CARROL GARDENS Van Brunt Street RED HOOK Source: NYTimes Mapping the 2010 Census Gowanus Canal