Dreaming Big: Community Envisions A True " Public Place" In Carroll Gardens

Public Place in Carroll Gardens

A view of Public Place from 4th Place in the  1930's

What is your vision for Public Place, the six acre brownfield site which runs along the Gowanus Canal and Smith Street in Carroll Gardens? That was the question posed to participants of a Community Mural Making Workshop with Artist Triada Samaras, and Carroll Gardens CORD/Coalition for Respectful Development on Sunday Afternoon.
The free workshop event was part of the current Brooklyn Utopias: Park Space, Play Space Exhibition at the Old Stone House.

Though our local elected Representatives envision a 774-unit, mixed-income, mixed-use residential development for Public Place after remediation, those in attendance yesterday envisioned a true public space
Fourteen-year-old Aather proudly showed of her brightly colored vision yesterday.
"I would like to see many flowers, a place for people to walk, a place for people to garden."

Rose and Charlotte held up their idea of what should be built on Public Place. "It's like a pool party. We made a huge community lake. It's where a lot of people are swimming together. It's free. People come around the world to see it. And it's good for the earth, instead of putting chlorine in it . But you want to war a bathing suit because its open to everyone. And frogs and toads come in."

Others dreamed of a library, a giant water fountain and green spaces. And lots of flowers and blue sky.

Perhaps they could teach City Planning a thing or two?

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Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group Takes Position That Total Elimination Of CSOs In Gowanus Canal Is Only Acceptable Solution To Problem. Passes Resolution.

At last night's US Environmental Protection Agency's Gowanus Canal Superfund Community Advisory Group's (GAG) general meeting,  members voted to adopt a resolution that asks for a total elimination of New York City's Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) into the waterway.
The resolution was drafted by the CAG's Water Quality/Technical Committee after an informational meeting with NYC Department Of Environmental Protection on April 3rd, 2012.  At that meeting, DEP, which has been names a Potentially Responsible Party (PRP) by the EPA for its role in contributing hazardous toxins to the canal and for allowing CSOs to continue to discharge into the Gowanus,  had refuted EPA's findings.

Despite DEP's best effort, the agency failed to convince the Committee members that more testing was necessary and that it had not yet been proven that the CSOs are contributing chemicals to the canal at levels that constitute unacceptable human risks under Superfund.

So last night, the Water Quality/Technical Committee put forth the following resolution:

The Gowanus Superfund Community Advisory Group fully supports the United States Environmental Protection Agency in its finding that New York City's Combines Sewer Overflows are a significant contributor of harmful sediment and Superfund regulated PAHs and metals to the canal. The CAG takes the position that the total elimination of the CSOs in the Gowanus Canal is the only acceptable solution to the problem.     The CAG asks that the EPA, under their Superfund authority, take the necessary measures that will insure protection of the proposed remedy from ongoing CSO sediment solids deposits and the release of PAHs and other toxics.

However, before a discussion or a vote on the resolution could take place, Jeff Edelstein, the CAG's facilitator, informed its members that DEP, represented by Jim Mueller, would like to present its position on the CSO resolution and wanted the opportunity to give members of the CAG a presentation.

Many CAG members strongly opposed.  Though some wanted to hear what the DEP had to say, the  prevailing sentiment, especially amongst members of the Water Quality/Technical Committee, was that this was neither the time, nor the place for DEP to argue its, as one member put it, its "PRPness"

CAG member 

Marlene Donnelly,  representing F.R.O.G.G. argued:

"The DEP did just have a lengthy meeting with the community. There was no representative from the EPA there to present an alternate perspective at that meeting. If we give DEP five minutes for a presentation tonight, we also need  to give EPA five minutes to present their perspective. Since they are not here to present. I think that it is inappropriate at this time to allow DEP time to present just their perspective without a counter- perspective."

Josh Verlun,  Riverkeeper's representative, agreed:

"I believe that it is inappropriate for DEP to impose their perspective on the resolution at this time unless we have representatives from both EPA and from all the other PRPs give their perspective as well. At last count, that number was 30 or so. It is not appropriate for one PRP to voice their opinion, when there are other agencies and stakeholders that are nor represented here tonight. "

Rita Miller, C.O.R.D. representative added:

"The DEP came before the Water Quality/Technical committee, and out of that discussion, I think it is fair to say that this resolution was born.  I think that our committee should be able to present the resolution to our fellow CAG members. We have the interest of our community at heart. There is no further presentation by the DEP necessary."
And Steven Miller, member-at-large concluded:
"I want to remind everyone here tonight that the City of New York is a PRP and that their interaction with us should be held within this context."

At the end, the CAG voted to not allow DEP to give its presentation and to move forward with the vote on the resolution.
The resolution passed easily.

It was so transparent that the DEP wanted to influence members of the CAG last night and was trying to prevent this resolution from passing.  Pretty low, I say.

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What's Your Vision For 'Public Place' In Carroll Gardens?: Public Voice, Public Dream Mural Workshop At The Old Stone House

Our local elected Representatives envision a 774-unit,  mixed-income, mixed-use residential development for Public Place, the six acre brownfield site which runs along the Gowanus Canal and Smith Street.
But what do we, as the community want? What would our ideal Public Place look like?  Artist and Carroll Gardener Triada Samaras wants to incorporate our own vision into a Community Mural.
Read on:

Public Voice, Public Dream Community Mural Workshop

April 28, 2012

5 – 7:30 PM

Old Stone House

336 Third Street between 4th and 5th Ave

on the Second Floor Gallery

Come One, Come ALL!
Come and design your vision for Public Place with your family and neighbors at the Community Mural Making Workshop with Artist Triada Samaras, and Carroll Gardens CORD/Coalition for Respectful Development.
Public Place is a 6-acre vacant lot along the Gowanus Canal and Smith and Fifth Streets in Carroll Gardens. Your input and ideas may be considered for future development on the site.
This free workshop event is part of the current Brooklyn Utopias: Park Space, Play Space Exhibition at the Old Stone House and newly renovated Washington Park.
Afterwards, you can join in other fun activities such as Circle Rules football and an Interactive Performance Art event.
More information here
To reserve your spot/s in advance, please email Triada at triadasamaras@gmail.com
See you there!

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NYC DEP Gives Report On Gowanus Canal Facilities Upgrades

NYC DEP division chief Kevin Clarke 

CB6's Environmental Protection Chair Gary Reilly

At last night's Community Board 6 Public Safety and Environmental Protection Committee, Kevin Clarke, division chief for the NYC Department Of Environmental Protection gave a presentation and an update on the Gowanus Canal Facilities Upgrades which began in September 2009 and will be completed around June of 2013.

According to the DEP, 300 million gallons of Combined Sewer Owerflow (CSO's), made up of 30% storm water and 70% combined sewer waste, currently flows into the canal every year. It is hoped that the project will reduce CSO's into the Gowanus by 34%.

The upgrade has two major construction components:

1. Upgrades to the Gowanus Canal Flushing Tunnel System
In order to perform tunnel rehabilitation repairs, the one-mile tunnel, built in 1911, was shut down two months ago and will stay off-line for about 26 months. 

Three new submersible pumps will be installed to increase the flushing tunnel flow capacity from approximately 154 million gallons a day to 215 mgd.  This fresher water from the Buttermilk Channel will be pumped into the head of the canal to improve water quality. During the construction, a temporary pumping system which has been installed at the end of Douglass Street will oxygenate about 10 million gallons of water a day and distribute it throughout the Gowanus Canal through 24" pipes.

A new Forcemain will be constructed through the Flushing Tunnel to collect some of the Combined Sewer Overflow at the canal head and pump it directly to the Red Hook Water Pollution Control through the Columbia Street sewer.

2. Upgrade to the Gowanus Pumping Station
The reconstruction work on the Gowanus Wastewater Pumping station, which pumps wastewater flow through the new Force Main Plant will increase the reliability and pumping capacity from 20 million gallons to 30 million gallons  a day.
The work also includes the installation of a Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO's) screening system which will retain and reduce the "floatables" which might otherwise make their way into the canal.

According to Mr. Clarke, the DEP has been cooperating with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's ongoing investigation, providing historical documents and sharing data.

After the presentation, CB6 Environmental Protection Chair Gary Reilly directed audience questions to Mr. Clarke. Bette Stolz and Marlene Donnelly, both of Friends And Residents Of Greater Gowanus disputed the DEP's assertion that only 300 million gallons of CSOs flow into the canal.  That number, Stolz and Donnelly pointed out, is based on the year 1988, when a total of 41" of rain fell on the New York City area. 
"Wouldn't it behoove the agency to look at the data from the last 22 years?" said Bette Stolz.
Marlene Donelly urged the EPA to consider that the last five years have been substantially wetter than 1988.
" In 2009, we had 65" of rain in New York City, in 2008, it was 64" and the year before that, it was 68".
With sea levels rising and the predicted increase of extreme weather patterns,  it does seem strange that the EPA is relying on outdated rainfall figures and not looking towards the future.  If the current rainfall trend continues, many more millions of gallons of CSO's will be dumped  into the Gowanus Canal.
Kevin Clarke, however, stated a few times that 1988 provided an adequate base-line.
See his full response below.

Rita Miller of CORD asked if the EPA has considered and figured future development in the area into their calculations as projects like the Atlantic Yards Arena will add to the CSO discharge into the Gowanus Canal.  Here is Mr. Clarke's answer:

No doubt, the city is finally moving ahead with work that was mandated by the Clean Water Act decades ago.  That is a good thing.  However, it certainly feels as though not enough is being done to address the CSO issue. Using rainfall data from 1988 is rather laughable and makes the promised 34%  reduction in CSOs seem very small.


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Carroll Gardens/ Gowanus Neighborhood Activists Honored At Transit Garden

I would like to thank Jim and Vicky Devor, as well as Martin Rowe and the wonderful volunteers of the Transit Garden, for honoring the dedicated Carroll Gardens/Gowanus activists who work so tirelessly to protect the neighborhood.

In the last few years, these members of the community have achieved the contextual re-zoning of Carroll Gardens, the protection of the unique Carroll Gardens courtyards and fought Mayor Bloomberg on the Superfund designation for the Gowanus Canal...and won.

The honorees in attendance were:

John Hatheway,

Gary Reilly

Rita Miller

Lucy DeCarlo

Triada Samaras

Elisabeth Lind

Glenn Kelly

Vince Joseph

Maryann Young

Bette Stoltz

Jackie Raque

Laura Edidin

Marlene Donnelly

and, humbly, Ms. Pardon Me

In return, I would like to express my appreciation for the hard work by the members of the Transit Garden. They have turned the corner of Smith Street and Second Place into a wonderful green oasis and by doing so, have shown the true spirit of this great neighborhood.

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Carroll Gardens Organizes To Fight Assault On The Historical Integrity Of The Neighborhood

Community Meeting On Hannah Senesh's Proposed Expansion Onto Public Land
Satrday December 12th at Carroll Gardens Library

Despite short notice, approximately 30 people gathered at the Carroll Gardens Library on Saturday morning, December 12th to discuss the plans recently unveiled by the Hannah Senesh school. The school has apparently painted itself into a corner by moving into a building which is not large enough or good enough for their needs after spending several years planning the move and spending millions of dollars to renovate and expand the old PS58 extension/District 15 building at the corner of Smith Street and First Place.
Since the school's board failed to anticipate growth requirements, they now intend to ask the city of New York to hand over one of (the first one !) the
signature courtyards (front gardens) of Carroll Gardens so that they can enlarge the school. The fact that the school (and the District 15 office before them) uses the courtyard as a parking lot in contravention to the community's requests and the requirement that the courtyards be maintained as open space does not diminish the fact that this proposal would, if enacted, forever change the streetscape. This would set a very dangerous precedent and make it more difficult to defend the nearly 160 year old city law which established the courtyards and resulted in the unique character of Carroll Gardens.
The Carroll Gardens Neighborhood Association And C.O.R.D. have long fought to protect these courtyards against development and parking incursions and cannot support this action despite their wishes for the long term success of the school. Other neighbors and organizations have also stepped forward to fight against this assault on the historical integrity of our neighborhood. They intend to take this message to our elected officials, local residents, and the press in order to make sure that this does not come to pass.



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Carroll Gardeners Urge NYC Planning Commission To Re-Think R6A Zoning Pockets

NYC Planning Commission Hearing
on Carroll Gardens/ Columbia Street Contextual Rezoning

Amanda Burden, Chairperson of the NYC Planning Commission

Carroll Gardener Rick Luftglass

39th Council District Candidate and Carroll Gardens Resident Gary Reilly

Jerry Armer Testifying for Community Board 6

Raul Rothblatt, Director of the Four Borough Neighborhood Preservation Alliance

Carroll Gardens Neighborhood Association President Maria Pagano

Tom Gray from Councilman Bill De Blasio's office

Norman Cox, of the Columbia Waterfront Neighborhood Association

The Carroll Gardens/ Columbia Waterfront Contextual Re-Zoning continued its progress through the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) on Wednesday, when area residents had a chance to testify in front of New York City's Planning Commission.

About a dozen speakers, some representing the Coalition For Respectful Development (CORD), and the Carroll Gardens Neighborhood Association, thanked the Brooklyn Office of City Planning for their efforts to rezone Carroll Gardens and the Columbia Waterfront in order to protect the character and scale of this brownstone neighborhood. The plan calls for a zoning of R6B on most of the residential blocks, which will impose a height limit of 50 feet on the buildings.

But most every speaker commented on what many saw as a flaw in the re-zoning plan: the Office of City Planning is proposing to up-zone several blocks of Columbia Street, Henry Street and Clinton Street to R6A, which has a height limit of 70 feet.
This concern has been raised by local residents at every stop of the ULURP process. The office of City Planning claims that the R6A designation is needed to bring the buildings on those blocks into compliance, since they are already bigger than brownstones on surrounding blocks.

Amanda Burden, the Chairperson of the NYC Land Use Committee, explained that the re-zoning was a framework which would bring current out-of-scale buildings into compliance. The R6A designation for those particular pockets within the neighborhood would accomplish that.

Local residents seemed doubtful. Carroll Gardener Rick Luftglass felt that R6A was an up-zoning, increasing the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) from 2.2 to 3.00, thereby creating an incentive to homeowners on those blocks to use the extra FAR to build roof additions.

Unfortunately, it seems that the Office of City Planning does not possess the tools to properly deal with a case such as this. What is needed, in essence, is a special zoning in between an R6A and R6B to not only bring the out of scale buildings into compliance, but also to limit any additional height.
It seems unlikely that these tools will be created any time soon.
What a pity. As resident Maryann Young stated: "If Mayor Bloomberg can come up with the tools to run for a 3rd term," City Planning should be able to come up with to create a special zoning which would truly protect the neighborhood.




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C.O.R.D. Has No Doubt Superfund Is Best For Gowanus Canal

The waters of the Gowanus Canal

My friends of The Coalition For Respectful Development (CORD) have just released a statement regarding the proposed listing of the Gowanus Canal as a Superfund site. After attending every meeting held, both by the EPA and by the City, after researching the subject thoroughly and going right to the sources with all their questions, CORD has no doubt: Superfund is the way to go.
I couldn't agree with them more!
Below is their statement:

As the end of the public comment period rapidly approaches and all of the meetings have been held and a great deal of information disseminated, CORD is convinced now more than ever, that the nomination of the Gowanus Canal to the National Priorities List as a Superfund site is STILL the best thing that ever happened to our neighborhood.

We do not believe that the City of New York's "alternative" plan affords any tangible benefit to the community in terms of process, result or timeframe.

It is our understanding that the city’s plan is basically an attempt to provide the responsible parties (the polluters) with a deep discount by trying to have a good portion of the polluters’ tab picked up by a federal program known as WRDA. There is a waiting line for the money and long long list of projects that would be ahead of the Canal. And….did we mention?

THE GOWANUS CANAL IS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR WRDA FUNDS AT THIS TIME.

The City is expending, by their own admission, a great deal of time, energy, effort (and therefore, money), to lobby the federal government to make the canal part of this program. In essence, the City is adding an additional layer of government , personnel and complications to the process while simultaneously adding additional financial burdens upon the already- strapped New York City taxpayer.

Where is the benefit to the community in the City’s plan? We can’t find it. The EPA through the SUPERFUND program, has the clout to collect the money from the responsible parties, has the expertise and a time improved program already in place to handle situations like our canal. Why does it seem as though the City is trying to stymie it? We can’t figure it out.

To continue reading CORD's statement, click here

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Josh Skaller Holds Press Conference On Gowanus Superfund Designation With Members Of CORD And FROGG

City Council Candidate Josh Skaller with Carroll Gardens/ Gowanus supporters

Kevin Duffy-Acevedo reads a statement from CORD







Marlene Donnelly, a founding member of FROGG







A young Gowanus area resident on the Carroll Street Bridge

When it comes to the clean-up of the Gowanus Canal, members of the Carroll Gardens Coalition For Respectful Development (CORD) and Friends And Residents Of Greater Gowanus (FROGG) have lots in common with Josh Skaller, City Council Candidate in District 39.

The two Carroll Gardens/ Gowanus organizations, together with local residents, joined Josh Skaller on The Carroll Street Bridge this morning to express their support of his candidacy and for the nomination of the Gowanus Canal as a Superfund site. Skaller has been for the Superfund designation for the heavily polluted canal from the start. His campaign does not accept money from developers. He has vowed to listen to the wished of the community instead of special interests and to fight for "the integrity of our neighborhoods. The health of our future generations. The soul of our community."

He favors: "responsible development of the Gowanus Canal. That means development when the Canal is clean. That means development that gives back to the community. Development that sustains itself and paves the way for a New York City that does, too."

He further stated that: "We know what happens when we put public health aside for a short-term gain." "Love Canal happens. People get sick. The community suffers. That can't happen on our watch."



Marlene Donnelly, a Gowanus area resident and one of the founding members of FROGG, said: "We're a neighborhood group of people who live and work around the Gowanus Canal. We want the Canal to be cleaned because it's our backyard."

She and the members of her organization are highly sceptical of the city's motives and of the city's alternative to the Superfund program.

She expressed her support of the EPA, because only the EPA has the necessary tools to undertake the thorough clean-up needed to get the job done right.



CORD was represented by founding members Rita Miller, Lucy DeCarlo and Triada Samaras. Kevin Duffy-Acevedo read the following statement for the group



"CORD is pleased that Josh Skaller came forward so quickly to support the Gowanus Canal's possible nomination to the National Priorities List as a Superfund site.

CORD does not view this issue as either a 'pro' or 'anti'-development matter.

Rather, we see a comprehensive clean-up of the Gowanus Canal and the EPA's monitoring of the remediation of the surrounding uplands to insure the cessation of further ongoing or future cross contamination, as a matter of the utmost importance to our community's present and future well being."

"We are so fortunate that Josh Skaller shares our vision and our hopes for the future for this poor, long neglected, most critically contaminated site."







Make Sure To Read The Excellent Post:



Gowanus, the Superfund and the Evil of Today's New York on Lost City







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