Superfund Decision No Boost to Gowanus Rezoning
It may be a moot point since no one will be able to finance any construction in the area for quite some time, but the EPA’s decision to add the Gowanus Canal to the Superfund list isn’t doing anything to speed along the proposed rezoning of the area either. Here’s what a Department of City…
It may be a moot point since no one will be able to finance any construction in the area for quite some time, but the EPA’s decision to add the Gowanus Canal to the Superfund list isn’t doing anything to speed along the proposed rezoning of the area either. Here’s what a Department of City Planning spokesperson told the Architect’s Newspaper on Tuesday:
We’ve just gotten the news and we’re continuing to work on understanding the impacts of the designation on the potential for moving forward with a rezoning to facilitate appropriate development and remediation. Clearly, the Superfund designation adds a layer of additional complexity (and uncertainty) to an already very complex process.
This on the heels of a similar statement made to us last summer:
Certification of the Gowanus Rezoning Proposal into the public review process is temporarily on hold to allow the City to focus on the alternative cleanup plan for the Canal, the potential for Superfund listing, and to better understand the relationship of this process to the rezoning. We still intend to advance the rezoning plan, and the EPA has also strongly encouraged the City to move forward with rezoning. Once there is a better understanding of the overall process of canal cleanup, the rezoning plan can move into the ULURP process.
You can read more about the mixed-use rezoning plan for the 25 blocks along the canal here.
I was confused about the eastern boundary. I assumed that was Third Avenue because I thought (incorrectly) both sides of Fourth Avenue were rezoned in 2003. Just between Douglas and Warren.
g-dog, I don’t think Toll wants a better price or higher density; I really do think they want out. The whole point, it seems to me, of only purchasing options was to minimize their exposure, if you’ll pardon the pun.
Hey, BZ — maybe your guests could arrive by boat! They could disembark at the end of Second Avenue and walk two blocks south to Bell House.
I love it – our wedding reception will be at Bell House. Superfund will be a fun conversation starter for our freaked out out-of-state guests…
G, are you confused? R8A looks to be 4th ave only, but perhaps the map really was confusing.
thanks all for the info.
i’d love to find out where the 214 mystery pipes are coming from.
Gus, the only R8A on the map is on Third Avenue, not Bond Street. Was the map confusing for you, or are you prone to to this kind of hysteria?
I’m excited by all of the hoopla around Gowanus.
The canal is beautiful… it would be great if it were accessable to more people.
With only moderate exaggertation, I think it’s not unfair to say Gowanus could be the Venice of Brooklyn.
Thanks for the info gowanusdog and gman.
It would be nice if the area was cleaned up and grass and trees were planted. It has been such a waste land for the last few decades so why now do we have to have condos on it.
Again, Why does every single freakin’ morsel of land have to have a giant building on it.
Can’t anything be left natural…..
Get rid of the crappy little building on 3rd and 6th, clean the area plant grass and trees and I think it would make the transition from Park Slope to Carroll Gardens kinda nice, then with the canal seperating it…..sounds all good to me…..
They should let the clean-up happen and worry about rezoning and development LATER, you know, after the area is free of toxic chemicals. But that’s just my opinion.
Eh. I don’t’t really have any problem with it. Gowanus isn’t Carroll Gardens. I actually like the idea of the area having a different character than the surrounding neighborhoods, and definitely like the idea of more housing here. Anyway, I’m not totally clear on the zoning issue, but aren’t there already a handful of pretty tall buildings in the area? The hotels, the projects, etc. It’s definitely not like there is any kind of historic low-rise “sense of place” to preserve, as preservationists like to say. In fact, Gowanus is pretty much defined by the fact that it’s a weird hodgepodge, and seems set to continue in that direction. Fine with me.