The Brooklyn Waterfront: Past and Present

In this class, we’ll chart the development, decline, and rebirth of the Brooklyn waterfront, from 19th century port to 21st century playground.

With the dual lens of preservation and renewal, we’ll examine how communities, real estate interests and the City have reshaped the waterfront from Greenpoint to Sunset Park since the 1970s.

Taught by Inna Guzenfeld

Inna Guzenfeld is a planner and urban historian trained at Pratt Institute. She emigrated from the Ukraine in the nineties and grew up on the Coney Island peninsula. Her work centers on the New York waterfront, where she documents and advocates the city’s maritime past. She can often be found traversing Brooklyn’s industrial landscapes in search of stories and artifacts. She also teaches historic preservation and urban studies at CUNY.