Superfund Decision No Boost to Gowanus Rezoning
It may be a moot point since no one will be able to finance any construction in the area for quite some time, but the EPA’s decision to add the Gowanus Canal to the Superfund list isn’t doing anything to speed along the proposed rezoning of the area either. Here’s what a Department of City…
It may be a moot point since no one will be able to finance any construction in the area for quite some time, but the EPA’s decision to add the Gowanus Canal to the Superfund list isn’t doing anything to speed along the proposed rezoning of the area either. Here’s what a Department of City Planning spokesperson told the Architect’s Newspaper on Tuesday:
We’ve just gotten the news and we’re continuing to work on understanding the impacts of the designation on the potential for moving forward with a rezoning to facilitate appropriate development and remediation. Clearly, the Superfund designation adds a layer of additional complexity (and uncertainty) to an already very complex process.
This on the heels of a similar statement made to us last summer:
Certification of the Gowanus Rezoning Proposal into the public review process is temporarily on hold to allow the City to focus on the alternative cleanup plan for the Canal, the potential for Superfund listing, and to better understand the relationship of this process to the rezoning. We still intend to advance the rezoning plan, and the EPA has also strongly encouraged the City to move forward with rezoning. Once there is a better understanding of the overall process of canal cleanup, the rezoning plan can move into the ULURP process.
You can read more about the mixed-use rezoning plan for the 25 blocks along the canal here.
I hope that with the superfund break, legislators and the community can reconsider this really dumb proposed gowanus rezoning. Buildings up to 125 feet? Who wants Bond Street to become Fourth Avenue? Having those massive buildings by the canal is going to subvert the height limitations that Carroll Gardeners fought for last year.
I hope that with the superfund break, legislators and the community can reconsider this really dumb proposed gowanus rezoning. Buildings up to 125 feet? Who wants Bond Street to become Fourth Avenue? Having those massive buildings by the canal is going to subvert the height limitations that Carroll Gardeners fought for last year.
Toll Brothers hasn’t bought the property so maybe all their whining is to renegotiate their deal and whine some more to be able to build higher.
In the meantime, Third and Bond might be a good gage as to what impact this will have, if any, on financing. Isn’t Third and Bond Hudson Companies? So far, it seems that Hudson will continue with Public Place and work with the EPA.
Hot Soup makes a good point, and I’m actually pretty surprised to see that Brownstoner seems to be buying right into the talking points that anti-superfund developers were using as scare tactics. “No one will be able to finance any construction in the area for quite some time”? Really? What is that statement based on? Honestly, I don’t know for sure whether that’s true or not, but I’ve seen zero hard evidence to indicate that that’s the case, and it seems like a pretty broad claim to publish about the future of an entire neighborhood, just because someone else said it.
Others took copious notes and I don’t want to disseminate misinformation.
Bottom line is that the EPA explained the process. They will continue to collect data (the canal is ahead of Newtown Creek because the EPA can also use data collected by the Army Corps of Engineers). When it get to the point of coming up with a plan they will present the options to the community and there will be another public comment period.
Any litigation that might occur amongst the PRPs should not impact the timeline and as a matter of fact PRPs cooperate in clean ups quite a bit while litigation goes on a parallel track.
Mortgages seem to be a hot button topic. Our federal reps. (OK Congresswoman Velazquez definitely and I would hope Yvette Clarke) will get clarification but it seems that HUD wants to know about mitigation. This only applies to FHA mortgages.
Pertinent to this post, zoning will partially dictate what type of clean up is done.
There are 214 “mystery pipes” and the EPA will trace those pipes to determine whether they are a source of contamination.
anything worth noting quickly?
antidope,
Yeah. I went and I suspect that some of the local blogs will write up reports. CBS has a story posted. It is too bad that there doesn’t seem to be much coverage in the print media.
Briefly, DIBS, without getting into “use groups”:
M1-4: light industry
R6B: residential, 30-40′ base height, 50′ maximum height
R7A: residential, 40-65′ base height, 80′ maximum height
R8A: residential, 60-85′ base height, 120′ maximum height
C2-4: neighbohood commercial, commercial floor area ratio (lot size to building square footage ratio) of 2.0
The specifics of the two mixed use districts (MX) would be explictly spelled out in the zoning resolution.
Isn’t it actually a bit presumptuous to assume no banks will lend, especially if you can get a project off the ground for a song? Granted, nobody’s lending for nothing, but I think everyone’s taken this Superfund stigmata [sic] thing too far. Everybody knew it was polluted. At least now it will be properly cleaned up.