Let's Save The Gowanus Nursery!

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photos by xris @ Flatbush Gardener

When the Gowanus Nursery first opened its doors on 3rd Street right around the corner from me, I thought I was in gardener's heaven. Here, I could find the most unusual plants, specifically selected for small city gardens. I bought my winter hardy crepe myrtle there two years ago. It is blooming beautifully. Everything I bought there has thrived in my little plot of land.
Then, sadly, because of a construction project on the site occupied by the nursery, they had to move. That was last year. I was elated to find out that they had found a new spot on Summitt Street, a bit further away from me, but still in the neighborhood. Now news that they may have to move again. Here is a plea by Andrea Paladino of the Gowanus Nursery.

On Wednesday August 22, a small group of business owners, employees and clients attended a city planning meeting that was to decide the fate of a few parcels of land located on Summit and Carroll streets.
The likely outcome is that Gowanus Nursery (45 Summitt Street) will be forced to move,once again.
Remarkably, this change is a thinly disguised 'spot zoning' to allow for aresidential development in a grandfathered commercial zone. This action, in the words of community Board 6, has been the most aggressive use of ULURP (re-zoning) procedures that the current board has ever seen, forcing out active and flourishing businesses to make way for residential development.
Borough President Marty Markowitz's recommendations suggest that the nursery occupied lot provides property owners the opportunity to lease under-developed land with minimal investment (part true since the only investment came in the form of our own labor and financial funding.) There seems something fundamentally wrong with labeling well-used open 'green' space as 'under-developed’.
On a personal note, I am frustrated not only by the futility of the work we have already logged here, but also by the casual way that zoning change is happening in 'our' neighborhood. Last year, you, my customers and colleagues came to offer your services during the first move. Now, I ask for your help to help save this 'green oasis' from perishing in the changes affecting all of Brooklyn.
One of the questions asked by the city planning commissioners was "We have heard a lot of testimony about how this is the 'best' nursery, could you please give some definite examples to support this statement?" Well, we hope that our garden making has been successful; stimulating ideas and offering advice, suggesting different ways of seeing plants and how they affect our environment directly and indirectly. Of course, something akin to a mission remains: providing to gardeners experience-based knowledge and the broadest selection of perennial plants for Brooklyn gardens.



We hope that you can take the time to email the following parties to let them know in a few words what makes us an important part of the neighborhood and the whole Brooklyn experience.
Council representative - Bill de Blasio; City Council Speaker - Christine Quinn; Land Use Committee Chairperson - Melinda R. Katz; Mayor Michael Bloomberg - deblasio@council.nyc.ny.us, quinn@council.nyc.ny.us, katz@council.nyc.ny.us,


Please help Gowanus Nursery to remain a Brooklyn institution.