THE RED HOOK BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
             DESIGN COMPETITION

                                                    Sponsored by The Forum for Urban Design

 Three Part Design Competition:

1.ARCHITECTURE:
 Bicycle garage or “loft,” located near the Smith/9th Street Train Station

2.URBAN PLANNING/DESIGN:
 Dedicated bike lane plan connecting Red Hook to the garage, nearby neighborhoods,
the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway, and other destinations

3.DEVELOPMENT:
 Feasibility study (funding possibilities, development timeline, possible public-nonprofit-private partnerships, etc.)

- Program Statement:

Located in the southeast corner of Brooklyn, Red Hook is the only neighborhood close to Manhattan that is underserved by public transportation. One train station at Smith/9th Streets in nearby Carroll Gardens is a mile from the heart of Red Hook, which is otherwise served by two bus lines and a Water Taxi that goes to Wall Street (but only in the summer months). Because transportation options are limited, Red Hook residents are unable to conveniently connect to the city around them and as a result, the neighborhood itself has experienced sporadic economic development.

The Forum for Urban Design is launching a design competition to re-imagine Red Hook as the most bicycle friendly neighborhood in all of New York. Not only could bicycling become the predominant method of transportation for neighborhood residents, it could become a destination for urban cyclists and foster sustainable development.

The design competition has three components: one emphasizing architecture, the second emphasizing urban planning and design, and the third emphasizing feasibility (i.e. funding sources). 1. retrofitting a bike garage (or “loft”) at the Smith/9th Street Station, and 2. connecting this elevated train stop to the rest of the neighborhood via dedicated bike lanes and other bike amenities, 3. identifying funding sources such as the reauthorization of federal surface transportation legislation, foundations, and commercial sponsors.

The immediate goal of this project is to make Red Hook more accessible for local commuters and safer for local recreational cyclists; however, the greater vision is to spur sustainable economic development by attracting cyclists from around New York City to enjoy the Red Hook waterfront and other neighborhood treasures. Additionally, by focusing on the Smith/9th Street Station, we hope to encourage MTA to think about how they can rehabilitate it in a way that facilitates other methods of transportation.

The Red Hook Bicycle Design Competition was presented to the transportation committee of Brooklyn Community Board 6, which endorsed it on April 17, 2008. It was approved by the full community board on May 14.

- Eligibility:
 Free for Students (to register as a student you much be enrolled at a school, college or university at the time of the competition announcement)
 $50 Individuals , $100 Teams

- Submission Requirements:

A maximum of ten (10) digital images - all in .jpg format, 300 dpi - plus a short (no more than 7 minute-long) video presentation burned to a CD (x8, one for each of the judges and one for the Forum).
Written Statement (no more than 500 words)
Submissions should be identified ONLY with their registration number, which they will receive upon registering for the competition.
Finalists will be asked to submit their own materials for exhibition.
Finalist Exhibition Materials Requirements:

Two 30x40” presentation boards, oriented horizontally; one showing the bike garage design and the other showing the street design. The boards should be 1/4” thick. Models are also welcome, but not required. These materials will be on display at the Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition for five weeks, as well as the video.

Timeline:

DEADLINES EXTENDED

Announce: Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Registration: Tuesday, July 1

Submission Deadline: Friday, August 29

Finalists Announced: Wed., Oct. 1

Display Material Deadline: Wed., Oct. 15

Winners Announced at Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition event: Oct. 25

Prize:

Five finalists

First prize: $4,000

Runners-Up: $1,000 to the remaining 4

Crowd Favorite: $500 ... To be voted on via this website once finalists are chosen.

(Prize Total: $8,500)