Gowanus Village Sites Back on Market; Available A La Carte
After pulling its listing for a portfolio of Gowanus buildings off the market, developer Africa-Israel is once again trying to sell the properties—this time either piecemeal or as a group. The firm, which took control of the sites with Isaac Katan after dissolving its partnership with Shaya Boymelgreen, put them on the market in early…
After pulling its listing for a portfolio of Gowanus buildings off the market, developer Africa-Israel is once again trying to sell the properties—this time either piecemeal or as a group. The firm, which took control of the sites with Isaac Katan after dissolving its partnership with Shaya Boymelgreen, put them on the market in early ’08, asking a whopping $27 mil. The listing disappeared from brokerage Massey Knakal’s site a while back, but now the three parcels that comprise the portfolio are back online without specific asking prices (“make an offer,” is all they say). Way back when, Boymelgreen and Africa-Israel had plans to build a massive mixed-use development on this land called “Gowanus Village.” One of the properties for sale is the former “No More Corporate Bullshit” building, which is described as an “iconic industrial” structure.
153 2nd Ave; 420 Carroll; 430 Carroll [Massey Knakal] GMAP
Yes, I guess that’s true. My only point is it’s not clear that the contamination was the primary reason for stopping the project. If Whole Foods didn’t lie, then the reason had more to do with financing. Hence, there’s no reason to think that the contamination would necessarily prevent any other development in Gowanus. Although it’s obviously a deterrent and an added expense.
True, probably not the best selling strategy.
Whole Foods didnt lie – and I would seriously doubt if you owned a large tract of land that you may or may not be able to use (and which you potentially had to sell) that you’d publicize it as a toxic waste dump.
@ Ditmas — That’s true, actually, I never saw much action there at all. But I have no idea what’s involved in something like that. Anyway, the reason I’m inclined to believe it is that, from a PR perspective, why would Whole Foods lie and give people the impression that they were out of money if it was in fact the toxicity that was the problem? Wouldn’t they have been perfectly happy to jump on that excuse?
> It sounds like they were mostly done with the cleanup.
Really? During all the years I used to stroll past the site, it looked like they never actually started.
@antidope – Everyone in the neighborhood calls it that, as does Curbed and the rest of the local blogs/media. Because it used to have bats in it. Just letting the folks know, since the moniker you’re using is a bit unwieldy. If you look at Google street view, you can see that it’s accessible via that driveway off of 3rd ave (not 3rd st., my mistake).
@fsrg – Right, although according to the brownstoner articles on that topic, it doesn’t seem that the contamination had anything to do with why they aborted that project. It sounds like they were mostly done with the cleanup. But of course we don’t really know. But anyway, I gather that the cleanup would have to be more extensive if it were residential? Makes sense, I guess.
@fsrg – Can you explain? I’m curious. Why would there be high liability costs? Because the canal is dangerous
The whole area is a toxic (potential superfund) site…Whole Foods couldn’t even clean up the contaminants enough on their (nearby) land to make it suitable for a grocery store.
I love the NoMoreCorporateBullshit building. I’d move there for a great loft apartment.
936-
nope. it’s on 2nd st. both 1st and 2nd deadend at 3rd ave. there does appear to be a private lane up what would be 2nd st. but it doesn’t look to be connected directly to public street system.
why and who calls it the bat cave; have you seen the batmobile tearing out of there? was it a boatmobile?