Will a Brooklyn Superfund Site Become the Borough's Next Hot Nabe?

On-again, off-again, and now back on-again plans to redevelop the polluted area between two of Brooklyn's most affluent neighborhoods have the residents of Gowanus divided on the direction of their gritty community.

2 minute read

October 10, 2012, 9:00 AM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


Plans by the Lightstone Group to develop 700 rental apartments along the polluted Gowanus Canal, conveniently located a short walk from the historic brownstones of the Park Slope and Carroll Gardens neighborhoods of Brooklyn, and a similarly sized project in the vicinity, have residents of the "quirky and rough-edged" neighborhood divided over its future, reports Joseph Berger.   

"Some residents are trying to block or reduce the scale of the proposed
buildings, arguing that the new tenants would overwhelm schools and
subways, and that the buildings themselves - 12 stories in spots - would
perniciously transform the low-rise mingling of factories and row
houses they have come to love. Others, however, argue that the
Lightstone development would create a constituency to lobby for
continuing the cleanup of the sometimes inky, sometimes lizard-green
waters of the 1.8-mile polluted and pathogenic canal, which was declared a Superfund site in 2010."  

"'This is the tipping point for Gowanus,' said Jerome Krase, a professor
emeritus of sociology at Brooklyn College and a former president of the Gowanus Canal Community Development Corporation,
a neighborhood group. 'What's going to be interesting is to see whether
it's going to contribute to a kind of middle- and upper-middle-income
neighborhood in between gentrified Carroll Gardens and highly gentrified
Park Slope. What's unusual about this project is it's being done in the
middle of the wasteland.'" 

Monday, October 8, 2012 in The New York Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

Red and white "Wildfire Evacuation Route" sign on signpost.

Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions

An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.

July 10 - The Markup

Protester at Echo Park Lake, Los Angeles holding sign that says "Housing is a human right"

What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?

The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.

July 10 - Shelterforce Magazine

Aerial of rainbow painted crosswalks at large intersection in Castro District, Sna Francisco, California.

Sean Duffy Targets Rainbow Crosswalks in Road Safety Efforts

Despite evidence that colorful crosswalks actually improve intersection safety — and the lack of almost any crosswalks at all on the nation’s most dangerous arterial roads — U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy is calling on states to remove them.

July 10 - Streetsblog USA

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Home and Land Services Coordinator

Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA