Gowanus residents wanted a park. Instead, they’re getting ‘colossal’ buildings.
CARROLL GARDENS — Carroll Gardens and Gowanus residents gave a contentious reception to a plan to develop high-rise housing on a city-owned site beside the Gowanus Canal that was designated for public recreational use in the 1970s.
The 5.8-acre site on the corner of Smith and Fifth streets, once a gas plant, has sat empty for decades. When the city acquired it through condemnation, it was designated as a “public place,” meaning residential development was not allowed there. Plans to redevelop the area have been in the works since 2008. On Monday night at a Community Board 6 meeting, architects and developers unveiled their new design for the Public Place site: “Gowanus Green,” a multi-building complex with 950 apartments, a public school, shops, a community facility and rain gardens to absorb stormwater.
In the new plan, buildings on the site will range in height from a five-story school to a 28-story tower, the designers said. Neighbors, however, blasted the development proposal, saying they hoped the whole area would be turned into a park.DAILY TOP BROOKLYN NEWSNews for those who live, work and play in Brooklyn and beyond