Photos of a Changing Gowanus

Photographer Nathan Kensinger has a selection of photos he’s taken of Gowanus over the past several years up on his blog, as well as an excerpt of a lecture he gave earlier this month called “Gowanus Canal: Toxic Playground.” Here’s part of it: “In the past few years, even with its Superfund designation, a surge of upscale hotels and venues has threatened to overwhelm the canal’s established creative community. The lure of empty streets, open space, and a measure of lawlessness has drawn new crowds to the neighborhood, and to large warehouse venues like The Bell House, Littlefield, and the Brooklyn Boulders rock climbing gym, located in the old New York Daily News garage. At the same time, however, new creative projects have also appeared on the canal, offering a balance to the suddenly crowded streets.”
Gowanus Canal: Toxic Playground [Nathan Kensinger Photography]