Among the many things lurking inside the 168-page Gowanus Comprehensive Plan is a really scary eye opening assessment of what's under the ground in Gowanus. That map above? The shaded areas are likely "brownfield sites" based on historical records of what was located on the land. (There's only information on land within a block or so of the canal. On the other parcels, who knows?) The toxic goodness includes cyanide, mercury, benzene, PCBs, "volatile organics" and a whole lot more. Among the challenged properties is the possible future site of Leviev Boymelgreen's Gowanus Village. (The site includes a filled-in part of the canal filled with...no one knows.) And, the land between Bond Street and the canal sought by the Toll Brothers for their "urban village" in Gowanus. Oh, and as for the "toxic plume" of benzene that was thought to be coming from the Verizon property at Third Avenue and Third Street next to the Whole Foods site, the company says the stuff isn't coming from them.
· The Ground Beneath Gowanus [Gowanus Lounge]
· Gowanus Plan Calls for "Canal as Park," Environmental Center [Curbed]
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