Plans for Gowanus site under fire

The city has proposed allowing for the development of up to 600 units of housing on an 11.5 acre parcel called the Public Place in Gowanus, a plan that is drawing ire from community members. The site is known to have toxic contamination running as deep as 150 feet, but current remediation plans only call for removing soil at depths of around eight feet. The city recently unveiled its redevelopment proposal at a Community Board 6 meeting, and attendees were sharply critical of how advanced the plans were — the city said it may choose a developer for the site later this year — and concerned about how the land’s toxicity would affect the health of future residents. more [Gowanus Lounge]