Babies Near Gowanus Canal?
hi! i’m thinking of making an offer on a house 1 block from the top of the Gowanus Canal near Hoyt st. I have a 6 month old baby and a bit spooked by all the Gowanus toxicity reports. was wondering if any neighbors around there have any insight? thanks, Julia
hi! i’m thinking of making an offer on a house 1 block from the top of the Gowanus Canal near Hoyt st. I have a 6 month old baby and a bit spooked by all the Gowanus toxicity reports. was wondering if any neighbors around there have any insight? thanks, Julia
also – if by top of canal you mean Douglass, Degraw, Butler, Baltic area near Hoyt, Don’t worry about it. Not area that floods, not so close to canal, and always residential so not old industrial contamination. If want to know more about this part of neighborhood, can email me @hotmail.com (lived here for 25 years)
many problems you read about toxicity and canal – are from old manufacturing/industrial plants alongside the canal. The soil in many of these are contaminated.
Assuming the house you are interested in is not along the canal and old industry (and Hoyt St is not close enuf)… don’t worry. Is not a factor.
I would also guess the house you are interested in is rather old as are the neighboring houses — so not a source of contamination.
I’ve watched old Polish dudes swim in the east rivier in the summertime, so I don’t see any issues with swimming in the Gowanus. Kids adjust, it’s like evolution. By the way, the “poomist” comment was very distasteful.
Testing the soil is an excellent idea. You can also just make a lined, raised garden if you want to grow vegetables.
i once drunken battery acid on dare and are still fine
so clearly it was been safe probably for baby too
Just keep him out of the way of my cigarette.
I wouldn’t, but the reasons have as much to do with the housing stock vs. price of said housing stock as the canal.
I don’t live near the canal, but these are the main negatives I’ve heard about it:
when it rains heavily and the canal and drains overflow, you can get some very nasty water seeping into your basement. If you see a wet vac or the like in the basement of the property, there’s your big clue.
I’ve also heard there’s a big rodent problem for properties near the canal, but that may be just a rumor.
If you’re going to garden in the yard, would be worth it to have the soil tested.
nothing to worry about. you baby’s poomist would be more toxic and dangerous to it than the canal is.
*rob*