Gowanus residents fear Lightstone’s canal-side residential construction

From left: Lightstone CEO David Lichtenstein and a rendering of Toll Brothers' plans for the site
From left: Lightstone CEO David Lichtenstein and a rendering of Toll Brothers' plans for the site

Lightstone Group’s ambitious plans to build 700 residential units near the Gowanus Canal, on a site Toll Brothers was reprimanded for trying to develop two years ago by the Environmental Protection Agency’s Superfund program, has met some resistance (note: correction appended). The New York Post reported that Brooklyn residents met with the developer to voice their concerns.

“I’ve had five feet of raw sewage in my basement during a flash flood,” Richard Beanman, a Gowanus resident, told Lightstone. “You’re increasing the sewage by 700 toilets, 700 showers, 700 sinks. They need to [assure] the people who live here that our basements won’t flood.”

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Though Lightstone has yet to acquire title to the property, reports emerged in late July that the developer had approached the community with plans to modify Toll’s preexisting plans for the 600,000-square-foot development at 363-379 Bond Street. Lightstone, which intends to include affordable housing, told The Real Deal that the proposal would not be affected by the decade-long Gowanus Canal clean-up process and could break ground as early as 2013. [Post] — Adam Fusfeld