The five-alarm fire that engulfed a warehouse in Red Hook, Brooklyn last Wednesday has left a community of artists and small business owners assessing the damage and planning their recovery. The blaze tore through the four-story building at 481 Van Brunt St., which housed the Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition, Hot Wood Arts, and various other businesses, including Lanoba Design, a reputed vintage furniture store.
Megan Suttles, a sculptor who owns Hot Wood Arts, described the catastrophic nature of the event, stating, "Some of us lost a whole lifetime of work." She had to inform 19 artists using her space that they had likely lost everything. Meanwhile, the Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition reported less severe damage, with the possibility of saving some of the 800 pieces of art featured in an exhibition last weekend. Alicia Degener, the coalition's president, told Gothamist, "It’s a terrible feeling, it’s like losing a part of yourself."
Lanoba Design, specialized in refurbished Danish furniture pieces, lost its entire inventory of approximately 800 items due to the water used to extinguish the fire. "It’s soul crushing," Lars Noah Balderskilde, the co-owner of Lanoba, in a statement to Gothamist. His business partner, David Singh, shared similar concerns, emphasizing the historical significance of the destroyed items and recognizing the loss of history along with their damaged work.
Despite facing this significant setback, the owners of Lanoba Design are determined to continue moving forward. "We're energized, and we're energized to bring everyone up with us," Singh expressed to CBS News. Community support has played a crucial role, with Carly Baker-Rice of the Red Hook Business Alliance quickly raising over $130,000 through a GoFundMe campaign to assist the businesses and artists affected by the fire.
Over 200 firefighters responded to the scene, with FDNY officials treating two with minor injuries. Businesses like Ladies & Gentlemen Studio, Fine Wood Conservation, and Sticky Glass are amongst the others to also suffer significant losses.
