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Gowanus

The prominent feature of the Gowanus neighborhood is the Gowanus Canal, which effectively bisects a neighborhood that is primarily zoned for light to heavy manufacturing.  There are five east-west bridge crossings over the Canal, located at Union Street, Carroll Street, Third Street, Ninth Street, and Hamilton Avenue.  The Canal was created in 1848 by widening the original Gowanus Creek into a mile and a half long commercial waterway to provide industrial access to the Gowanus Bay and, ultimately, to the Upper New York Bay and beyond.  Just as the Gowanus Canal historically fueled the neighborhood’s livelihood by catering to industries reliant on barge service, local residents believe that the Canal will fuel its revival, by functioning as a valuable asset attracting businesses, residents, and recreational visitors to the Gowanus neighborhood.

With the increased reliance of industry on trucking as the preferred method of shipping and the construction of the Gowanus Expressway after World War II, the Gowanus neighborhood experienced a long period of decline.  Years of neglect and abandonment of the properties along the Canal have left the streets and waterfront bulkheads in disrepair.  Dead-end streets abutting the Canal became a magnet for illegal dumping and other illicit activities. 

A triad of pollution factors confront the Gowanus neighborhood.  Air and noise pollution is generated by the tremendous amount of truck traffic that is carried through the neighborhood by the infamous Gowanus Expressway.  Abandoned, and possibly contaminated, Brownfields are located along the Canal at Public Place site and a former federal Post Office site.  The Gowanus Canal has historically been a recipient for industrial waste-products from businesses located along the Canal, in addition to raw sewage waste from the adjacent residential neighborhoods.  The ubiquitous pollution earned the Gowanus Canal the name of “Lavender Lake”, for its purplish oil sheen.

To address these issues, the Gowanus Canal CDC embarked upon an aggressive campaign to reverse the environmental degradation of the area.  GCCDC successfully leveraged $478 million dollars of public funds to construct the Red Hook interceptor sewer treatment facility and to repair the Gowanus Flushing Tunnel which had been out of operation for nearly forty years.  Collaborating with the New York City Parks Department, the GCCDC secured funding for a street beautification program which included the creation of street-end parks along the Gowanus Canal. 

Today, the vision of the Gowanus as a vibrant waterfront neighborhood is beginning to become a reality.  Fish, birds, and yes, people are once again making the Gowanus Canal their home.  The Canal’s resurgence has enhanced the area’s profile and potential, and the Gowanus Canal CDC is pursuing a range of activities to harness that neighborhood potential.  By expanding the public access and recreational use of the Canal, GCCDC envisions the Gowanus Canal as catalyst for greater business growth and residential expansion.

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