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Toll Brothers’ Gowanus project sails through Council

By Gersh Kuntzman
The Brooklyn Paper
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This proposal by Toll Brothers moved one step closer to reality with an overwhelming Council vote on Wednesday.
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Mayor Bloomberg's larger plan calls for far more manufacturing land to be rezoned for residential use.

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A development company’s goal of transforming a stretch of the Gowanus Canal into a 447-unit project with a scenic esplanade along the fetid waterway earned the overwhelming support of the City Council on Wednesday.

Toll Brothers’ request for a rezoning to built residential units on what is currently manufacturing-zoned land between Carroll and Second streets on the west bank of the sluice passed the legislature by a 45–1 vote.

Heaven By Russo

Only Councilman Tony Avella (D–Queens) voted against the project.

Meanwhile, Councilman Bill DeBlasio (D–Park Slope), in whose district the project would rise, applauded his fellow lawmakers.

Despite all the approvals along the way, the project has run into opposition from neighbors who object to the inclusion of 12-story apartment towers and the construction of any kind of housing in such a polluted area.

Also, Community Board 6 later conditioned its approval on a firm commitment from the developer on the affordable housing component.

BoroDeal

Meanwhile, the Bloomberg administration’s plan for a far-wider rezoning of the Gowanus Canal zone is a few months away from entering its own public-review process.

DeBlasio has vowed to support that effort, too — with some conditions, of course.

“I will continue to work with the council and the community on the complete rezoning of the Gowanus Canal to ensure all development supports our borough’s economy and the needs of our residents,” he said.

©2009 Community Newspaper Group

←Fort Greene: ‘Dance’ line! Palestinian protesters object to high-stepping Israeli troupe at BAM
→Coney Island: CB13 panel backs — and bucks — the mayor on Coney rezoney

Reader Feedback

JC from Greenpoint says:
Woo-hoo! Another win for the developers, the families who want to live in new homes in a great neighborhood, and for progress in general!
March 12, 2009, 8:20 am
RS from Carroll Gardens says:
Have those idiots on the City Coucil considered
the effect this Bull—— development will have on mass transit????
Have those suburban fools from Toll been on the "F"
recently??
OH WAIT...eveyone will have garage space and slip space along the canal...
Screw the city council.
Screw Toll.
March 12, 2009, 10:13 am
feddy from slope says:
its called "mass" transit for a reason.

its not called "i dont want to smell someones armit in the morings" transit.

fill it up and tax the bejesus out of cars.

packem in like the good ole days.
March 12, 2009, 10:25 am
Charles from Bklyn says:
The gowanus canal is not fit for human beings to live near. Stop this yuppie fantasy madness. The idea of people waking up and walking on to their terraces to the smell of the Gowanus is making me sick right now. The council knows that smell is fecal matter, right? This is a perfect example of government corruption, as what else could the council's sanctioning living on top of a toilet be called?
March 12, 2009, 11:06 am
Shut up Charles from Brooklyn says:
Hey Charles, guess what? Maybe if they build there the City will be compelled to clean up the canal a bit? Ever think of that? Or do you think the canal will clean itself one day? Or perhaps maybe, if we do nothing, the City will just decide, 'hey let's clean up the canal for the hell of it!' This is great nudge in the direction of making some progress. And guess what? You don't have to live there if you don't want to! So put a cork it, jerky. And stop mucking up the good news with your silly claptrap.

"yuppie fantasy madness" -- seriously, dude, STFU.
March 12, 2009, 1:18 pm
Not RS or Charles from Brooklyn says:
RS said: "Have those idiots on the City Coucil considered
the effect this Bull—— development will have on mass transit????"

This is NYC: Get used to crowds. If everyone had your attitude, the subway system wouldn't have been extended to Brooklyn 100 years ago, and we'd all be living in the outback.

Charles from Bklyn says: "This is a perfect example of government corruption, as what else could the council's sanctioning living on top of a toilet be called?"

It's called "progress," because they'll clean the toilet.
FYI - a big chunk of Manhattan below Canal was a stinkin' pond ('til the early 1800s), and then a famous damp-and-stinkin' slum ('til the 1890s). They cleaned it up. It's now the City Hall/Courthouse/Police Plaza/Columbus Park/Tribeca-ish area.
Change IS possible.
March 13, 2009, 4:31 am
Shut up Shut up Charles from Brroklyn from Gowanus says:
Hey, how do you feel about your argument now? "Maybe if they build there the City will be compelled to clean up the canal a bit? Ever think of that? Or do you think the canal will clean itself one day? Or perhaps maybe, if we do nothing, the City will just decide, 'hey let's clean up the canal for the hell of it!' This is great nudge in the direction of making some progress." THE EPA IS HERE WITHOUT BUILDING THE CONDOS!!! HOORAY!!!
July 18, 2009, 4:48 am

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