Red Hook's Latest Indignity: College Dorms?

Sitt's Red Hook property, looking toward Ikea

Is there anything gazillionaire developer Joe "Coney Island Grinch" Sitt can't turn to crap with a wave of his gold card? Having finished holding the Coney Island amusement district hostage, Sitt's dreaming up the future of Red Hook, where he owns land between the Ikea and the Fairway. Both were controversial additions to the sleepy, cobblestone waterfront, which was most recently besieged by the cast of MTV's The Real World. Sitt's latest idea for a neighborhood so full of potential and diminishing returns? Dorms, dude.

"Ask any university, they’re starving for student housing," Sitt told a monthly gathering of real estate executives on Tuesday at the Brooklyn Historical Society. "[It could be] quasi-residential student housing if we can tempt a nearby university." Last we heard about this property, which once housed the now-demolished Revere Sugar factory, Sitt was envisioning a mega-mall with a BJ's as the anchor (eliciting plenty of puerile chortling from some about Red Hook getting BJ's, tee-hee). However, that plan was cock-blocked due to "structural problems with the remaining edifice on the site," according to The Brooklyn Paper.

Sitt just needs the land re-zoned before he can develop a new home for the backwards baseball cap set. We have to admit, the spot seems kind of ideal, what with all that cheap IKEA furniture right next door. But if these kids start demanding Irish Car Bombs at Sunny's, it's war.

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By John Del Signore in News on February 3, 2010 12:40 PM

Comments [rss]

Blue387

The schools mention NYU, LIU and Pratt. Aren't those schools - NYU in particular - a bit far away from the Red Hook site?

It'd be better off as some sort of non-student housing with improved public transit access. With bars, IKEA and Fairway, it's like hipster catnip. Red Hook: the new Billyburg!

l3iodeez

As someone who lives next to an NYU dorm, I can attest that this is gonna suck for the locals.

JMH

"[It could be] quasi-residential student housing if we can tempt a nearby university."

What university is "nearby" to property at the south end of Red Hook?

NannyState

The University Of Hard Knocks.

Tower18

How will these students get to their classes? On the B61? LOL

Rocknrope

People always find something to whine about. Now that Fairway and Ikea have been there for a few years, has there been any detrimental effect to the nieghborhood? If anything, driving to Fairway every two weeks has made me want to explore the neighborhood abit more. The surly artsy inhabitants should just shut it.

maximusrex

People on their way to Fairway and Ikea already drive way too fast down Van Brunt. Please slow down. It's a quiet neighborhood and people often walk in the street. So, in short, yes.

(non-surly-non-artist-red-hook-resident)

ann0yed

Lets put a dorm in your neighborhood and see how you like it surly-non-artsy-non-Red Hook-inhabitant.

Billiamsburg

one day I envision a NYC that is the worlds largest campus. the nypd we be the worlds largest campus police. we will have all night keggers and every 4 star restaurant will be replaced with an Applebees or a Hooters. Night clubs will only play the Top 100 jams. Art galleries will display the latest in blacklight and 'hot chick' posters. The music scene will consist of the world's largest, most cutting edge collection of Dave Matthew's coverbands. the MTA will be renamed the 'booze crooze.' Bloomberg will be replaced by that college Republican ACORN pimp dude. women will have to show their tatas to get a job anywhere. people will live in terror of roaming frat gangs. ahhh. it will magnificent.