Red Hook EcoDistrict: The Next Wave of Sustainable Urban Development

Enterprise Community Partners (ECP) is a nonprofit organization that has been a passionate and forthright voice, locally and nationally, in the advocacy of issues important to the affordable housing community. ECP is also a national leader in bringing the health, economic, and environmental benefits of green building to low-income neighborhoods. With the emergence of a new idea in sustainable urban development, the “EcoDistrict,” the Capstone team was charged with the task of envisioning the realities of this type of eco-friendly community in New York City and understanding the role of low-income housing in its implementation. Based on health, economic, and environmental parameters, the Capstone team identified Red Hook, Brooklyn, as an ideal site for New York City’s first successful EcoDistrict. In its final report, the Capstone team provided an analysis of existing conditions in the neighborhood and developed a roadmap to achieve a vibrant and healthy community through sustainability measures.