A Canal Runs Through It

Langan Guides Multiple Sites on the Gowanus through the Brownfield Cleanup Program

Brooklyn’s resurgence remains one of the country’s most remarkable redevelopment stories. Historic and trendy neighborhoods such as Red Hook, Carroll Gardens, Park Slope, Cobble Hill, and Sunset Park have distinct vibes and continue to command interest and investment. These South Brooklyn hotspots have something else in common – each borders the Gowanus Canal.

Arguably one of the most maligned water bodies in the country, the Gowanus Canal, undoubtedly polluted and long considered dead, seems destined for clean-up and new life. One major reason the Gowanus has a future is because of the New York State Brownfield Cleanup Program (BCP), and Langan has been at the forefront of an effort to help clients steer their sites along the Gowanus into the BCP, with benefits including tax credits and liability protection.

“Since the Gowanus resurgence several years back, our environmental teams have worked on behalf of developers and property owners along the Canal virtually every day, which has built our incredible knowledge about the area,” said Jason Hayes, Principal, Langan. “Obviously, these are challenging, complex sites from both technical and regulatory standpoints. However, Langan thrives on such challenges, and it is very gratifying to see progress along the Gowanus and to know that our clients will be rewarded for their vision and commitment to revitalizing this lost Brooklyn waterfront.”

Thanks to Hayes, and other New York environmental leaders Michael Burke, Mimi Raygorodetsky, Steve Ciambruschini, and Ryan Manderbach, there are now more than 35 BCP sites that touch the Gowanus Canal. Additionally, Langan is providing its waterfront engineering services to re-design and harden multiple bulkheads along the 1.8 mile stretch of the Gowanus, many of which double as remedial elements under the BCP.