Public Place: Visioning the Gowanus Canal Waterfront
Brooklyns Gowanus Canal, once a vibrant oyster bed and pristine fishery, is today one of the most toxic waterways in the United States. But with land becoming increasingly sparse in New York City, vacant lots along the canal have the potential to be redeveloped for productive uses. At seven acres, the Public Place site on the west side of the canal in Carroll Gardens, formerly the location of a manufactured gas plant (MGP), is the largest, city-owned parcel in the area. The Capstone team was asked to identify potential future uses for the Public Place site. The team met with numerous community stakeholders and conducted a large-scale community survey to understand the redevelopment preferences of those living and/or working near the canal. Responses to the survey will be compiled to broadly describe community preferences, and the results will be shared with community organizations, government representatives, survey respondents, and the general public with the goal of incorporating community preferences into any future redevelopment of the site.
This Capstone was made possible with the support from an anonymous donor through FJC: A Donor-Advised Fund.