Boymelgreen and the Slope-ification of Gowanus
Brooklyn Papers is reporting that Shaya Boymelgreen has purchased the Jewish Press building on Third Avenue between First and Third Streets, bringing the total land he controls in the area that he wants to become known as “Gowanus Village” to two acres. Boymelgreen has been coveting the former Transit Authority building since he began acquiring…
Brooklyn Papers is reporting that Shaya Boymelgreen has purchased the Jewish Press building on Third Avenue between First and Third Streets, bringing the total land he controls in the area that he wants to become known as “Gowanus Village” to two acres. Boymelgreen has been coveting the former Transit Authority building since he began acquiring property in the area two years ago and the site has only grown more attractive as the Whole Foods one block away has become closer to being a reality. Two other major property owners in the area–Toll Brothers and owners of the Bayside Fuel facililty–also have their own visions of a mixed-use wonderland who streets are paved with gold. According to Brooklyn Papers, all three developers claim to be interested in a plan being put forward by the Gowanus Canal Community Development Corporation to create a model green zone that would make the area around the Lavender Lake an eco-friendly neighborhood of low-rise, green housing and light industry.
Park Slope Canal [Brooklyn Papers] GMAP
Photo by trekkerpanda
supposed to be the venice of brooklyn!!
or like the san antonio riverwalk
What a hoot — that the fetid Gowanus Canal area could be transformed into some kind of green, eco-friendly paradise!
In the meantime, I’ll still avoid the area in the summer months.
I give Boymelgreen credit for having some vision about what this area could be. The Walentases had to wait years and years for their vision of DUMBO to come to fruition, and whatever you think of that neighborhood, their patience and vision certainly paid off.
i recall hearing about some sort of nearly unmovable structure inside of the jewish press building. like an absolutely massive generator or something like that. anyone know the deal?
I doubt Boymelgreen can pull this off. But as much as I dislike some of the hideous buildings he’s done, I hope he does, and I don’t begrudge him the pile of $$$ he’ll make if he does.
This area is crying out for development! It’s wrong that a yuppie can’t walk from Park Slope to Carroll Gardens without crossing a filthy fetid canal. It’s enough to make you burp up your latte.
But seriously, this is a logical area for some “master plan” developing. I think a Green Zone approach would be great, though perhaps a tad optimistic. I only hope it doesn’t get bogged down in years of litigation…
Given the time it has taken for Whole Foods to clean up their site for a non-residential use; I have serious doubts about the likelihood that Boylemgreen (who isn’t known for his thoroughness) will ever get this site built – but of course if he does I am sure that future generations of lawyers will make a fortune suing anyone and everyone over every illness a future resident develops.
this area will explode…. once someone pumps the sewer out of the canal. Have you ever been down there on a hot day in July? You can smell the stench 2 blocks away! Yes, I know it’s not as bad as it used to be, but do I want a 600K 1 bedroom on a smelly canal? question is: who’s going to pay for it. Somehow I’m afraid our tax dollars might get involved… ugh.
I’d love to see this area developed, but it’s so difficult to imagine it other than as it currently is.
Now I’m just waiting for someone to say that this building is an architectural masterpiece and must be saved…