Bubble Wrap

Gowanus Gentrification Slowed

Brownstoner reports on several problems Whole Foods faces for their planned Gowanus location.

In addition to needing a full new building permit from the DOB, the DEC still has to approve the grocer’s plans to build on a wetlands. Even though construction can’t actually begin on the store, in mid-March the DOB put a stop work order on the property that’s only been partially lifted for contractors to make the site safe by erecting a better fence. The DOB entry on the stop work order says that “hazardous conditions were observed during inspection” and that there was a “failure to safeguard public & property” because the construction fence was down.