Here's How The People Of Gowanus Want To See Their Neighborhood Grow

GOWANUS, BROOKLYN — The area around the Gowanus Canal is about to undergo some big changes as the city prepares a rezoning plan that could bring a wave of high-rise condos and mixed-use buildings to the industrial neighborhood.

This week, planners shared what the people who already live there want to see happen.

Earlier this year, the Department of City Planning convened "working groups" made up of community members and staff from city agencies to gather feedback on what should be included in the rezoning.

There were five groups centered around topics such as arts and culture, housing and sustainability. Each group met five times.

The discussion came up with plans for the waterfront, methods to deal with climate change and how affordable housing should be tackled. The results were released along with city planners comments on the proposals they agree with, which ones will require more research and which ones weren't supported or were beyond the scope of the study.

"Through the Working Groups we’ve made real progress together, with substantial consensus on critical items: to make the neighborhood a real model for sustainability and resiliency in the face of climate change, with a vibrant and accessible waterfront and a deeply inclusive, creative, mixed-use, mixed-income community," City Councilman Brad Lander, who represents most of the neighborhood, said in a statement.

"Of course we don’t agree on everything – this is Brooklyn, after all – but we were able to have honest, thoughtful, adult conversations about those differences."

Lander said there was broad consensus in limiting housing, self-storage and hotels in industrial areas, promoting access to the Gowanus Canal waterfront and creating affordable housing.

He said there is still work to do in preventing tenant harassment and displacement and protecting arts and "light industrial" spaces.

"The elements of a community are much more complicated in today’s world than in previous rezonings undertaken by past administrations," Paul Basile, the president of the Gowanus Alliance, said in a statement.

"Affordability is key to keeping our city working and productive. This needs to be accomplished by keeping our workforce local and job growth attainable by allowing businesses to remain in our community and grow to market within our city, rather than look outside our city when growth becomes impossible."

The city also published maps that highlight the recommendations across the different working group topics. You can see those there.

Check out the recommendations that the city agrees with and those planners think need further information here. The ones the city considers not feasible or beyond the scope of the planning project, along with explanations why, are listed here.

Lead image: (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)