Gowanopolis Rising

Filmmakers Jamie Courville and Chris Reynolds have documented over a decade of change in Gowanus, starting from their arrival in 2009 when the neighborhood was a gritty industrial hub for artists. Their documentary, Gowanus Current, tracks the area's transition from a toxic post-industrial landscape into a massive construction zone following the city's 82-block rezoning in 2021. The neighborhood is projected to add 9,000 new housing units by the end of the decade.

The redevelopment, championed by former Councilmember Brad Lander, sought to balance luxury growth with community benefits, including affordable housing and canal-side public space. However, the scale of construction has transformed the area’s character, replacing warehouses with high-rise rentals. As developers work to remediate soil once laden with coal tar and chemical solvents, questions remain about the long-term environmental safety and the neighborhood's identity.

Summary by Dispatch AI — read the full story at Curbed.