Bjarke Ingels-Designed Sound Stage Will Bring Public Park to Red Hook Waterfront

Red Hook is coming to the silver screen — or, the silver screen is coming to Red Hook.

Production company Samson Stages is planning an eight-story soundstage and studio on the waterfront, expanding its already significant footprint in the borough.

When finished, the 330,000-square-foot facility will welcome film, television, and commercial productions on a whole new scale — and the massive building is expected to bring some new public amenities to the area.

“This project is truly transformational, and I am excited to highlight the renderings and begin construction on the brand new sound stages and studios,” said Sam Geiger, CEO and co-founder of Samson Stages, in a prepared statement. “The new addition to Samson Stages will create jobs, will give the neighborhood a new waterfront park, and will continue to make New York the center of TV and film production.”

The $400 million project, designed by prominent Brooklyn architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group, will rise on the current site of Sunshine Lighting at 744 Clinton Street, beside Red Hook Park and the Henry Street Basin. Samson’s leaders and architects envision the facility as a “vertical village,” with each of the eight soundstages stacked on top of each other. Outside, each floor of the building will have a green outdoor terrace, though the big draw for residents will be a brand-new public park on the waterfront.

Renderings show a massive building few visible windows surrounded by a broad green lawn with a baseball diamond — likely the already existing Red Hook Ballfields — and kayakers paddling along the Henry Street Basin.

Samson Stages currently operates two studio and soundstage facilities in Brooklyn — one just a few blocks away, on Hicks Street near West 9th Street, and another in Sunset Park. According to the company’s website, both boast amenities like high-end production equipment for rent, soundproof stages, and lighting. Dozens of commercials and music videos — starring actors like Ryan Reynolds and musical artists like Dua Lipa and Bruce Springsteen — have been shot at Samson’s facilities.

“Being a native New Yorker who has spent 22 years in this business, it’s exciting to see how the industry has grown. This new facility will be a reflection of that excitement, will feature the newest technology, and will give back to the Red Hook community,” said Rich Barbadillo, partner at Samson Stages, in a statement.

Red Hook has long been in need of additional green space. The largely industrial neighborhood was without its ball fields for years as city and state agencies cleaned up toxic soil contamination, and its public recreation center has also closed several times due to ongoing damage from Hurricane Sandy. The waterfront is largely occupied by businesses and industrial buildings, and the existing parks and green spaces are sparse and not connected to each other.

The company anticipates the project will create hundreds of new jobs and help accommodate Brooklyn’s growing entertainment business. A timeline for the building’s construction and opening has not yet been released.

Editor’s note: A version of this story originally ran in Brooklyn Paper. Click here to see the original story.

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