Nearly 13 years after Superstorm Sandy left a trail of destruction across Red Hook, the scars remain visible, like the glass molds at Flickinger Glass that bear the unmistakable stain of floodwaters, as do the walls of Red Hook Cidery.

“It was complete devastation,” said Mark Snyder, owner of Red Hook Cidery. “We were very unprepared. No one had seen a storm like this.”

The city is now taking action with the Red Hook Coastal Resiliency (RHCR) project, a $218 million project that includes a 2-mile integrated coastal defense system with floodwalls, storm gates, raised streets and redesigned public spaces.

“This massive public safety project demonstrates that our city is leading the nation when it comes to protecting New Yorkers from the dangers of extreme weather,” Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement. “The work we begin here today is more than just protective infrastructure. It’s how we are investing in safer, more resilient neighborhoods for generations to come.”

The RHCR system will stretch across Atlantic Basin and Beard Street, two of Red Hook’s most flood-prone areas. Construction is expected to be completed by summer 2028. The project will protect against storms with a one-in-ten annual chance of occurring and address sea level rise as projected by the New York City Panel on Climate Change.

For businesses like Flickinger Glass, located directly on the water, the threat of another storm is ever-present.

“There’s a distinct line here on the molds,” said owner Eric Powell. “You can see that’s the level the height of the water when it came in.”

Powell welcomes the city’s plans. “For us, it’s the ocean swell or freakishly high tides. We’re glad these conversations are happening.”

But not all business owners are convinced. Snyder, whose cidery sits just blocks from the shoreline, fears the wall may worsen flooding.

“We have more damage as we have the bathtub effect of the water rising stopped by that wall here,” Snyder said. “That’s two blocks to the interior of this location.”

He's also worried that Sandy's storm surge was taller than the proposed wall, which will sit at 10 feet above sea level.

“The city drainage system will take care of that water behind the flood wall,” said NYC Department of Design and Construction Assistant Commissioner Bobby Issac, adding, “As soon as the storm drains, outfalls will open, and water will drain.”

When asked why that didn’t happen during Sandy, the engineer responded, “Because the surge was still coming in from the water and had to recede back into the bay,” adding that the area would have less overall flooding due to these efforts, which even in a bigger storm would result in faster drainage.

The RHCR project also includes upgrades to public spaces. Todd Triangle will be transformed into a plaza-like area with seating and landscaping. The Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway will be extended by 1.2 miles with new bike lanes. The IKEA waterfront park will be upgraded to meet ADA standards, and nearly 200 new trees will be planted to improve natural water absorption.

“This project will bring much-needed coastal relief to Red Hook residents and businesses,” said Rohit T. Aggarwala, New York City’s chief climate officer and commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection. “We are delivering critical coastal infrastructure that ensures continued access to our waterfronts as sites of industry, transportation, and recreation.”

The Department of Design and Construction says that even if water overtops the wall, it will drain faster once the system is complete.