Red Hook Public Housing Getting $550M In Upgrades Nearly 5 Years After Sandy

GOWANUS, BROOKLYN — Nearly five years after Hurricane Sandy struck the Brooklyn coast, the public Red Hook Houses are getting $550 million worth of upgrades to repair damage and protect against another major storm.

Officials on Tuesday held an official "groundbreaking" ceremony for the first phase of the "Sandy Recovery and Resiliency" project — a $63 million to replace all 28 roofs on the Red Hook East and West houses.

The roofs will be more resilient and produce fewer leaks, according to the city's housing authority. Other repairs to the Red Hook Houses include new boilers, backup generators and a renovated community center.

The $550 million is part of a $3 million FEMA grant that NYCHA received following the devastating storm. The work is expected to take about five years.

U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez, a Democrat who represents the area, said in a statement that the repairs are especially necessary after watching the damage caused by a major storm in Houston.

"As we see what’s happening currently from Hurricane Harvey, it is only a matter of time before New York faces more extreme weather, due to changes in our climate," Velazquez said in a statement. "Projects like this one ensure our communities are better prepared in the future. Importantly, this work is going to be conducted, in large part by NYCHA residents, themselves, creating new jobs and local economic opportunity."

Image courtesy NYCHA