Ikeazilla. It is interesting what happens when a store you love to visit comes and plants itself in your own backyard. In this case Ikea's new move into Red Hook is getting damn ugly already. Over at Curbed the posts are rolling in as parts of historical Red Hook are already being pulled down by constructions crews.
From Amanda: This is the real "Ikea Bummer". It's not about broken beds, bad service, or whatever else everyone was whining about. Is 600 mind-numbing, poorly paid jobs worth this? I guess the real question is: what is best for that neighboorhood anyway?"
All those beautiful Civil War era buildings and streets, all get torn up for their blue and yellow eyesore? Why can't Ikea think of new looks for their building? Why does it have to be so ugly and destructive?
I think Ikea being there will revitalize the neighborhood, but the way they are going about it is just insulting. They could have made a beautiful store, retaining all the exteriors and gutting the interiors, connecting the buildings and making a sprawling 2 story campus.
I agree! They could follow Banana Republic's lead... BR has a great reputation for sensitive re-use of historic properties, without diluting their own brand personality.
I feel sad about the demolition -- the pictures remind me of germ of the original river town in my hometown. At the same time, I've lived in New York nearly 10 years and I've never set foot in Red Hook. I don't think that only fancy Beaux Arts buildings in Manhattan deserve preservation, but we should have raised the hue and cry way before the buildings started coming down...