This thesis examines urban waterfronts struggling to incorporate two increasing, but potentially conflicting land uses: public space and maritime industry. The Erie Basin area of RedHook, Brooklyn, New York, where promoting industry and public space along the waterfront are listed as a high priority, is used as a primary case study. A selection of international and localwaterfront case studies is compared and analyzed. The intent is to identify ways to foster compatibility of these two uses, and to suggest how these scenarios can be adapted to Red Hook. The proposed applications imply how other municipal waterfronts facing a similar increase in pressure might move towards the coexistence of, rather than mutual exclusion between waterfront industry and public space.