Reclaiming the Red Hook Waterfront: An Analysis of the Urban Maritime Architectural Tradition in South  Brooklyn  is a 2020 thesis by Emily Conklin presented to the Faculty of the Department of Art History at New York University in partial fulfillment of the Urban Design and Architecture Studies Major and the Degree of Bachelor of Arts.

The work examines the "industrial architecture of Red Hook, Brooklyn and the potential of intangible  heritage to preserve and repurpose its architectural character as a community asset for economic and cultural vitality in the immediate neighborhood, as well as for the greater New York City.  Site-specific research and tangible evidence was "gathered from visits to prominent sites on the peninsula, discussions with local residents and business owners, and physical interaction with the structures and streetscapes."

Conklin concludes: "While some may defend UPS and other e-commercial presence in Red Hook as a continuation of its transportation and industrial  history, or even as a creator of jobs in an economically depressed region, the  monopolization of development by institutions that
exercise power over the poor and marginalized is a recipe for failure. We observed this arc at Canary Wharf, where a temporary boom in the 80s has now begun to turn downwards, while Wapping is only continuing to increase its community engagement and economic draw. The success of Wapping is due to its preservation of layers of history that reflect its genius loci, and that celebrate life at all thresholds, not only that of the ultra-rich or ultra-visible."

This is just a brief overview of Emily Conklin's thesis, click here for the complete thesis.