Blaze Devastates Brooklyn Artists’ Warehouse; Community Bands Together

BROOKLYN, NY — A five-alarm fire that burned for over 24 hours has devastated one of Brooklyn’s most iconic artist studio buildings in Red Hook, leaving the 155-year-old warehouse in ruins—but the community is rallying to help.

On Wednesday night, shortly after 11:30 p.m., smoke began billowing from the third floor of 481 Van Brunt Street before quickly spreading to the roof, prompting a massive response. Over 250 firefighters and EMS personnel rushed to the Red Hook waterfront to battle the blaze.

Crews worked through the night and into the morning, dousing the building’s roof with water. During the operation, two firefighters sustained minor injuries.

"My community in Red Hook is devastated. These are my people, my family, my neighbors and right now, they need us," Tiffiney Davis, the founder of Red Hook Art Project wrote on social media. "Many of Red Hook’s artists including several of RHAP’s own beloved instructors lost their studios, tools, and their life’s work in a matter of hours."

Built during the Civil War era, the four-story warehouse has long been the heart of Red Hook’s vibrant arts scene, officials said. It houses dozens of artist studios and upscale design firms and serves as home to the Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition (BWAC), a nonprofit run by artists that has hosted exhibitions on the first two floors of its 25,000-square-foot space for nearly five decades.

"BWAC (Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition) has been a cornerstone of our neighborhood’s creative community for decades. It’s where countless exhibitions, workshops, and collaborations have inspired and connected us all," Davis added.

Founded in 1978 by 16 artists seeking a space to display their work, BWAC has grown to over 400 members. The nonprofit focuses on supporting emerging artists’ careers and providing accessible venues to showcase art.

Though it’s unclear how many artists lost or had their work damaged—many also work elsewhere in the neighborhood—several GoFundMe campaigns have been launched to support those impacted.

For example, Carly Baker-Rice, executive director of the Red Hook Business Alliance, has raised over $130,000 to aid local artists and businesses, while Alicia Degener, president of the Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition, has secured more than $28,000 to help rebuild the BWAC gallery space.

The team at Lanoba Design, which specializes in restoring Danish mid-century modern furniture, launched a separate GoFundMe after losing their entire inventory and equipment in the fire. They have raised over $45,000 to cover urgent expenses, including lost orders, cleanup, vendor payments, and legal fees not covered by insurance.

"We’ve weathered the pandemic, location changes, and all the usual challenges of a small business — but this fire is on another level, devastating in a way we could never have imagined," wrote owners David Singh and Lars Balderskilde.

Fire marshals are still investigating the cause and origin of the blaze, but must wait until the building is declared safe before beginning their work, officials said.