Although the Jody Kriss Blog tends to cover real estate news, things affecting housing market, and developments by Jody Kriss and East River Partners, from time to time it also covers news and info related to New York City. Right now there are some really exciting things happening with the Gowanus Canal, and they affect everyone in the surrounding areas.
Background on the Gowanus Canal
Most New Yorkers learn about the Gowanus Canal very quickly upon arrival to the city, but it is one of those things tourists dont often get to see. Like the rest of New York City, Brooklyn was booming in the 1800s, and the area around Gowanus Creek was surrounded by farms and mills. To help further development in the area and make it easier for companies to transport goods, officials decided to widen the creek into a canal. There were a lot of different plans proposed to ensure that the nearly two-mile stretch of water would remain fresh and clean, but ultimately officia ls settled on the plan that would save the most money- simply hoping that the tides would keep the water fresh. Construction was completed in 1869 and the companies that congregated on the banks of the Gowanus Canal immediately started dumping waste into the water, including things like mercury, lead, and coal tar, and even raw sewage found its way in. Since then, many proposals have been made for cleanup efforts, but all have failed. The water remains one of the most polluted areas in the entire United States, filled with dangerous pathogens and so low in oxygen that it cannot sustain life or a healthy ecosystem.
See full article in http://aboutjodykriss.com/jody-kriss-blog-3-cool-gowanus-canal-happenings/
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