Meeting on Toll Proposal: Agitate, Educate, Organize
South Brooklynites have a whole lot of questions about the 577 units of housing Toll Brothers wants to develop alongside the Gowanus Canal. And, if the overflow crowd that filled the community room in St. Mary’s Star of the Sea Residences last night was any indication, there’s a great deal of fear in the community…
South Brooklynites have a whole lot of questions about the 577 units of housing Toll Brothers wants to develop alongside the Gowanus Canal. And, if the overflow crowd that filled the community room in St. Mary’s Star of the Sea Residences last night was any indication, there’s a great deal of fear in the community that those questions won’t be answered before the city gives Toll the go-ahead to build their project. Among the concerns raised: That the development’s impact on already overcrowded schools and subway lines will be disastrous; that the compromised sewage system near the canal will be made even worse; that mom-and-pop business will be displaced; that the project shouldn’t be approved ahead of the wider rezoning Planning is brewing for the area; that the Environmental Impact Study will be a compilation of half-truths; and that the site’s toxic land might not be adequately cleaned up.
Representatives from the Toll Brothers were in attendance, and some of their comments were revelatory. To start, Toll VP David Von Spreckelsen told the crowd that the firm does not own the parcels in question (between the Gowanus Canal, Bond Street, Carroll Street and Second Street) outright—they’re in contract for them—and that they wouldn’t close on the purchases unless the city approves the rezoning. Von Spreckelsen also said that Toll would adequately clean up the property: We wouldn’t be able to sell one condo at this site unless we properly remediated it.
The gathering, which was organized by Friends of Bond Street, was ostensibly held in order to educate residents about City Planning’s public scoping hearing about the project next week, and speakers included CB6 District Manager Craig Hammerman (above left) and Queens City Councilman Tony Avella (right). While there was a great deal of talk about how residents can make their voices heard at the scoping meeting next week, there was also a lot of commentary from Avella in particular (the Council’s zoning/land-use chair and a mayoral candidate) about how the city stacks the deck in favor of developers at the expense of residents’ concerns. Development projects will always be put on the front burner, said Avella. It has nothing to do with a project’s merit. It has to do with the mayor thinking that’s what the city needs. The real estate industry controls the agenda in this city. There was also some chit-chat about a politician who wasn’t present at the meeting. Where is our councilman, asked one person. His name is De Blasio. Where is he?
More coverage of the meeting at Pardon Me For Asking and Found in Brooklyn.
Toll Brothers’ Gargantuan Gowanus Plans Revealed [Brownstoner]
A Look at What Toll Bros. Wants to Redevelop [Brownstoner]
To: March 4, 2008 4:24 PM
The Columbia University Gowanus Study projects have put forth solid ideas with a great range of possibilities. These projects get at the potential here, including possibility of the industrial-zoned land along the canal to serve as a site for an innovative progressive industry of soil and water remediation; an industries that could take on cleaning the adjoining lands and the canal itself. There is substantial merit to some of these ideas, some of which have been put into practice in other parts of the world.
Those in this discussion with the most limited vision for developing the canal are those who see it as a place for such out-of-scale residential developments as Toll has put forth or a big box retail store.
The community seemed to agree, in unison, during the “City Planning Planning Meetings” that the Gowanus should be a mixed use area; yet every plan being put forth is pretty much exclusively a residential development project including the plan for our publicly owned land.
The needs for housing can be met on more appropriate terrain. This site has land and water amenities that have nothing to do with the needs for residential units of housing. Can’t we envision making better use of these resources.
4:21 – I am not defending LA nor would I ever. I got out as soon as I could and won’t ever back unless I have to – like a family funeral and even that is questionable even when it is close family. I miss Gelsens but maybe the Whole Foods will come.
Yeah, you’re a shill 4:24!
I know someone who works for Ratner who types just like you do! I know it’s you!
2:23 – spoken like a 21st century NIMBY – if we don’t agree with you then we must be ‘paid off’.
Personally I dont believe that Toll will clean up the canal either, but then again, I don’t think Toll will ever build housing at this location. But that isnt the issue, the issue is that people like you will say anything to keep things as YOU BELIEVE they should be, no matter the effect.
1st of all whether Toll will clean up the canal or not is immaterial – as long as the canal “zone” is zoned for and largly industrial it DEFINITELY will not be cleaned up (not saying that it shouldn’t remain industrial) – So Toll is right in saying that if (someone) doesn’t plan the area for residential, the canal will remain as-is (sorry I know in your utopia you will refuse to believe that)
2nd while Toll may not be building affordable housing here (or in Gowanus at all) the laws of supply and demand still apply – as we now see in Florida, California, Las Vegas (and maybe here very soon) – the more supply you have the less pressure on upward prices you have and with enough building, prices can even FALL.
Finally canal or no canal – how could an increase in residential housing be a negative for ANY retail business.
I know, I know – I don;t agree with you – so I just must be being paid off by the RE “interests”
Please, 12:49. I lived in L.A. for nearly a decade. I know full f-ing well how to get around L.A.
L.A. congestion sucks. I saw it get worse and worse and worse year after year. Even the biggest fans of L.A. don’t defend that city to the degree you do. You’re just missing sunshine, can’t blame you. But it’s just not that great there. Plus half the houses on the market in L.A. are in foreclosure. It feels very depressed there right now.
That is such crap. The Real Estate Board offers money to EVERY SINGLE candidate for Mayor and Bloomberg was the only one to reject it. Everyone else accepts the money. If anything, this is one Mayor that the Real Estate Board does not control. If they did control him he would not have raised property taxes when the city needed the extra revenue after 9/11. Avella is a tool.
Thank GOD for 2:23.
Buddy is speaking out of both sides of his mouth. He is a proponent of the down zoning in CG but supportive of large scale development on the canal. Irks me to no end that federal tax dollars are going to the GCCDC.
The position our local electeds have taken is one of build, build, build and the sewage, flood, school overcrowding, transportation, and other infrastructure will take care of themselves once all these new housing units are occupied and others are in office.
Maybe Tony Avella can be our surrogate council man since ours doesn’t seem to want to hear what we have to say because our initials aren’t BS.
The nonsense is as follows:
People who want to dismiss all protests, concerns by just calling this nay-saying.
Have YOU gone to all the DEP/DEC meetings to hear what is going on with the water, its toxicity, the fact that is is a FLOODplain, the fact that the banks of the gowanus are toxic brownfields!!!
Maybe if you had, you would be seeing things from a little more klnowledgeable perspective.
I pretty much weed comments, and I can see who is likely financially tied to developers and their lobbying.
Thank GOD Buddy Scotto is now recognized for what he is, and no longer considered the voice for the community.
The community spoke up last night – and it was AWESOME!
The other nonsense is people saying we need affordable housing and these developers are going to bring it (as they push all the other rents up – by Mr. Scotto’s own admission last night). That’s crap, and shame on you for trying to flush that one down our throats.
I love when last night, Toll Bros reps asked us if we wanted to see the canal cleaned up – like they were going to do it. Google them and see what kind of record they have for working with the environment.
Build, and the canal will then get cleaned up – yep, that’s Buddy Scotto’s line, too.
No one’s buying it.
power sub station, garbage barge transport station, truck parking, overflow sewer treatment plant, large parking facility for our large suv and maybe i can have a second car just for fun, large big box store, large self storage farm built to the max and painted bright yellow (they can even deliver to it from NYC via water taxi).
Is the canal a support structure for the rest of the city or can it finally step out on its own and grow up.
New housing, waterfron access, cleaner water, CSO resolution, ps32 overhaul, smith and 9th street jewel created by great architect, multiple boat houses and get down areas, a few great bike and pedestrian bridges, a canal festival every year.
It is possible, it has been done in worse areas by cities with less money and less incentive.
Please stop thinking small, stop being a can’t do, rally together and work together to force the hands of the city to follow the developers lead in funding for the upgrades the area needs.
Or just keep fighting. Fight with each other. Fight becuase you want to be the newest poltician, or best community group. Fight the change until the end. You do not get beautiful results this way becuase the people in power are too afraid to think big. They are too afraid of putting money where it is not appreciated. This is happening. This has been happening. The “leaders” are not working together and are not bringing everyone together. It is not in their political best interest.
Please press reset! Please work together! Please stop with the nonsense.