On Wednesday, the City Council voted 49 to 1, in favor of allowing the city’s Department of Environmental Protection to acquire the Gowanus Station, along with two nearby lots at 242 and 270 Nevins Street, through eminent domain, reports Bklyner. If the city gains control of the privately owned property, located at 234 Butler Street, it could be demolished to make way for an underground sewage storage tank that the Environmental Protection Agency is considering in one of its proposals for the cleanup of the Gowanus Canal.
The Beaux-Arts building dates back to 1913, when it was constructed as part of the pumping tunnel at the head of the canal. In December, the Landmarks Preservation Commission denied two requests from the community that sought landmark status for the Gowanus Station.
Local residents rallied around the building on Tuesday night, hosting a candlelight vigil that they hoped would help save the building, however, its fate now rest in the hands of the EPA and whichever course of action the agency decides to move forward with next.
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