for Third Avenue/ 3rd Street from BL Company
image credit: Carroll Gardens Diary
Just as 2009 was coming to an end, there came a surprise announcement regarding the Whole Foods supermarket site at the corner of Third Avenue and Third Street: the New York State Department Of Environmental Conservancy notified residents that a clean-up action on the heavily polluted site along the Gowanus Canal would begin on or around January 11th and will take approximately 3 months.
The work will proceed under the Brownfield Clean-Up Program and will include excavation and disposal of soils impacted with contaminants, the removal of underground tanks, the installation of a soil cover consisting of several feet of new fill, as well as ground water monitoring.
The approximately 2.15 acre site is situated in the Gowanus Canal area, one of the most toxic places in the city. Over a century, it has been contaminated with a plethora of industrial waste from a former coal yard and petroleum oil company and freight company.
Under the Brownfield Clean-Up Program, Whole Foods "will receive tax credits to offset the cost of performing cleanup activities and for redevelopment of the Site."
The Whole Foods project has seen little action since 2006, when the national organic food purveyor announced that it was planning to build an approximately 77,000 square foot footprint commercial building housing a supermarket, along with a total of 414 parking spaces, including a 3 level parking garage.The store was tentatively supposed to open in 2008.
It is interesting to note that the NYSDEC announcement states that there was a:minor modification to the planned site clean-up that will allow the cleanup action to be completed before the site redevelopment plan is finalized. The Volunteer ( Whole Foods) originally planned to complete the remediation of the Site in conjunction with the construction of a Whole Foods Market Store. However, the construction of the buildings will not take place at this time. Therefore a soil cover will be installed at the site following remedial excavation.
In other words, the clean-up is on its way, but there are no immediate plans to build a food market.
Rather interesting, don't you think?
Check out the new blog Carroll Gardens Diary, for their related post: Whole Foods To Begin Brownfield Cleanup At Third And Third
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6 comments:
They're gonna take the tax credit and flip. Ka-ching!!!
BTW - from today's NYTimes
"the city’s new public advocate, Bill de Blasio, will unveil a plan on Monday to train aggrieved residents to organize petition drives, demonstrations and civic actions"
Hey Bill - I'd like to start some civic action to stop the courtyards of our historic neighborhood being developed because of sleazy political backroom deals done by local council members who put their career ahead of their constituents.
Wanna help me out with that?
Oh the irony!
Cant wait for Whole foods
Wouldn't be surprised if Whole Foods waits for a "superfund" decision. I am curious to know what whole foods position is on the matter, and how residents would feel if whole foods pulls out because of the superfund label being so close to them. It's funny how so many people are against developement, except for when it's something they actually want.
who really wants whole foods, pray tell? the one on union square is a madhouse. prices through the roof! we've got access to plenty of good foods as is. can you imagine shopping there and seeing that nasty gowanus? the filthiest water right there. YECH! Whole Foods is along the same pipeline dream as Gowanus Village and Toll Bros.
i cant wait for the whole foods either! hope it really happens.
Whole Foods will NEVER happen at this site. Never, ever, ever. And that's ok by me. Who can afford to shop there anyway? And the site will forever be gross.
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