A Look at What Toll Bros. Wants to Redevelop
Here’s a look at the blocks in Gowanus that Toll Brothers is interested in completely redeveloping. Toll’s 605,380-square-foot development would run from the canal to Bond Street between Carroll and 2nd streets. As the photos show, most of the area in question ain’t all that pretty, but members of the community have started expressing deep…
Here’s a look at the blocks in Gowanus that Toll Brothers is interested in completely redeveloping. Toll’s 605,380-square-foot development would run from the canal to Bond Street between Carroll and 2nd streets. As the photos show, most of the area in question ain’t all that pretty, but members of the community have started expressing deep reservations about Toll’s plans. Gowanus Lounge, which broke the news of Toll’s plans, has been covering the growing opposition to the development. Among the questions being asked: 1. Why should Toll Brothers get a jump on the larger rezoning of Gowanus? 2. Hey, isn’t this development in a flood plain? 3. How will Toll clean up festering toxic soil?
Toll Brothers’ Gargantuan Gowanus Plans Revealed [Brownstoner] GMAP
New “Movement” Developing in Gowanus & Carroll Gardens? [GL]
As someone who lives near / in the “steaming pile of garbage and pollution” I have to say there are things that would definitely be lost with this development. There is a small but vibrant old-world Italian community flourishing right off the canal, whose only grocery store closed down a year ago because of rising costs. There are also a large number of artists living in this tiny area, who depend on the low rents to let them make a living.
While I think all of us would love to see a clean, revitalized Gowanus Canal, we never will, because we’ll be part of what gets “cleaned up.” So I’m sorry if it is an eyesore to people who don’t live there, but to some of us, it’s our neighborhood.
In my post above, that should be: “What have we got to lose?”
Sorry.
If you want “happy” you should move to LA.
I agree with the poster at 9:55. How anyone could object to the development of this property is really beyond me. With the exception of the nice outdoors Yard area and silo, there is nothing here! A couple of years ago folks were crying about an ugly, one-story grey painted brick and block warehouse that is on the site, proposing that it should be landmarked. Unbelievable.
The neighborhood has been clamoring for 30, 40, 50 years for the cleanup of the canal and the surrounding area. Nothing has happened. Nothing. A poster above mentioned that it is the taxpayer who will be left holding the bag on the cost of cleanup. I say so what. Who else is going to pay for it? In my view, it’s the individual polluters (when that can be determined) and the government’s shared responsibility. But in the end, if Toll wants help from the government to clean up, and is going to play hardball and not do anything otherwise, then let’s give it to them. Honestly. Let’s get the area cleaned up, even if we have to pay for it. Is it really preferable to let it sit another 50 years as the toxins come into our homes through seeping groundwater? What alternatives do we have?
The bottom line is that this and other developments will force the issue. With money involved, the game will change. (The way of the world.) I don’t believe anyone will live in their buildings if the canal is not improved, and so I don’t believe Toll will build without improvement. Let’s see what happens. What have we got to loose? A few parking spaces? Please.
Yep, it’s pretty clear from the photos why development is unacceptable. It’s the awe-inspiring beauty of industrial decay, and soon artists will have to go to jamaica and east new york to find surroundings so (chic) ugly. If only toll bros could find some internationally respected architect to, wait, no, that doesn’t work either. Guess nobody gets to be happy anymore.
RE: Cleaning up toxic soil:
http://www.scidev.net/News/index.cfm?fuseaction=readNews&itemid=1397&language=1
That silo building in the background of the first picture is a little design house, its generous tenants offered up their wide riverside expanse to an event late last summer. Shame to see that area be soaked up by more godaweful Toll Brothers uninspired shitboxes.
There are some of us who are neither bitter renters (significant ownership wthin a mile of this) nor against all development. 25 years ago I looked at this area and wished I could develop it. If there were true capitalism at work here — fine. However, too often, developers get the go ahead from city/state without planning for infrastructure. Then taxpayers get holding the bag to clean up so the developers can make their money. Our sewage system, schools, transit are already over capacity. And none of the developments that have already started have done anything to mitgate any of these problems — only added to them. AY, this — are all more of the same.
I hope the DOE will refuse to grant variances for children residing in that development so that it will be either private or PS 32 which could only improve PS 32.
Hope it all works. Housing is needed. As long as they keep it clean. Why is everyone always against big developers and change. It’ll create a lot of construction jobs as building is slowing down in the rest of New York and it will provide additional affordable housing in a nice, safe area.