Gowanus Rezoning Building Faces Demolition Amid Court Challenge

BROOKLYN, NY — Construction on the recently greenlit Gowanus Rezoning could start soon, demolition permits show, but project opponents are still holding out hope to stop the plan in court.

Permits to demolish a former taxi service building on the corner of Bond and Carroll streets were filed last month in order to build an eight-story building with affordable housing that's within the Gowanus rezoning area, DOB records show.

The recently-filed paperwork at 325 Bond Street, which is still awaiting approval from the Department of Buildings in order to move forward, would mark a concrete step forward in the Gowanus Rezoning Plan, which was passed in November but faced another court challenge this week.

"This rezoning is rotten to its core—and it's illegal," said Katia Kelly, a petitioner in the suit connected to Voice of Gowanus, one of the groups named in the suit that's been at the forefront of other court battles surrounding the rezoning.

"We tried to warn city officials they were getting it deeply wrong. Instead they sold out to developers, putting thousands of people unjustly at risk," she said, alluding to environmental laws that the rezoning violates, according to the suit.

A Law Department spokesperson, however, rejected the entire premise of the suit.

"This suit is meritless. The approval process and environmental review were thorough and reflect years of deep community engagement around a vision and plan to make Gowanus a more sustainable and thriving neighborhood," the spokesperson said.

The federal Environmental Protection Agency, however said, that the state's current plans to clean up a former gas plant and turn it into an all-affordable apartment building and public school could affect the nearby neighborhood, according to a letter obtained by Brooklyn Paper on Feb. 26.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation, which will oversee the cleanup, resolved to work with the EPA on the cleanup efforts last spring, but wasn't cited in Brooklyn Paper's most recent article on the topic.

Related Article: Gowanus Rezoning Faces Court Challenge Months After Approval