Principles

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Who We Are

The Voices Of The Waterfront Coalition is a volunteer collective of community organizations, residents, business owners, and local advocates working together to ensure that the redevelopment of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal aligns with the needs and priorities of the Red Hook and Columbia Street Waterfront communities. Recognizing the immense potential of the terminal as a shipping and infrastructure hub, the coalition is focused on ensuring that the project fosters sustainable economic growth, climate resilience, and equitable opportunities for all.

This is a living document that reflects the desires of the community members that have engaged in this community organizing process so far. It is a canopy view of broad points of agreement and big ideas for our future. As such, it will grow as our members and voices grow.

What We Want

1. We want a resilient, thriving green port that serves our community and the region well, now and into the future.

2. We want this port to operate as a public good, financed using similar models to those that sustain other vital public assets.

3. We want investment that prioritizes neighborhood infrastructure and NYCHA before accommodating new market rate tenants.

4. We want equity, revenue and profits to stay local through jobs, small business and other programs.

5. We want a plan that integrates well with existing local and regional plans.

6. We want all applicable state, federal, and local laws, frameworks, and codes to be followed.

7. We want true community participation to be honored in the planning process, and we want our planning efforts to be supported by local and regional experts.

These Seven Principles

As a historically disadvantaged community that still lives in the shadow of Robert Moses’ harmful legacies and the impacts of Hurricane Sandy, we propose these seven principles to empower our community in collaborative spirit and with forward determination, as we embark on the creation of a plan that seeks to be mutually beneficial for Red Hook, Columbia Waterfront District, our neighbors, New York City and the region.