Gowanus By Design's Water_ Works Competition Exhibit To Open May 22nd At Old American Can Factory

This month, Gowanus By Design, a community-based urban design advocacy that is proposing new strategies for the development of the Gowanus Canal, is hosting an exhibit to feature the winning entries from Water_Works , their second annual design and planning competition. The opening will be held at the Old American Can Factory.

According to Gowanus By Design, "There were over 250 entries submitted from around the world and the jury was tasked to select nine winners in the areas of architectural design, community programming, and urban ecology. The award-winners along with other selected entries will be exhibited at the gallery.

The intent of the competition was to provide a new community resource that will occupy the site of the Douglas Degraw pool with a Combined Sewer Overflow [CSO] retention facility."  

It's bound to be very interesting, so don't miss it.

Water_ Works

An Open Design and Planning Competition

Exhibit Opening on May 22 from 6:30pm to 9 pm

Gowanus Institute at the Old American Can Factory

232 Third Street, corner Third Avenue, Brooklyn NY, 718.855.0871

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"Green Gowanus": Columbia And Parsons Students Imagine The Future Of The Industrial Canal

A model of the Gowanus Canal and development surrounding it.

The green and blue indicate the original streams and marshes of the area.

Architect: Eun Ki Kang, Engineer: Brett Benowitz

Architect:Hye Lee On, Engineer: Daniel Marasco, Planner: Sophonie Joseph

Architect: Yihan Hao, Engineers: Yuri Niu, Sara Serachioli, Bianca Howard

Architect: Hyunjae Nam, Engineer: Riashee Jain, Planner: Masahiko Haraguchi

Architect: Nelly Chang, Engineer: Dario Feliciangeli, Planner, Alexis Perrotta

architect: Ulyong Moon, Engineer: David Changa-Moon, Eric Hirani, Visiting Scholar: Zhoo Conghui

Richard Plunz, Director of the Urban Design Program at Columbia's Graduate School of Architecture

Christos Tsiamis, EPA Region 2 Project Manager for the Gowanus Canal

Dan Wiley of Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez's office

Parsons' Ellen Evjen and Richard Gonzalez of Columbia University

"All cities exist by reason of their strategic relationships to resources and infrastructure; and to the production that they enable. The question of the re-invention of the Gowanus directly touches this consideration; and the reality that the Gowanus represents an irreplaceable resource that must not be casually discarded. The future of cities everywhere is connected to understanding the changing requirements for infrastructure and redefinition of resources, especially in relation to understanding long-term environmental impact and sustainability. For this studio, a large consideration was devoted to the question of new production-e.g. energy, food production-and how by restoring the local economy and investing in infrastructure could help to facilitate long-term remediation of the canal itself."

Introduction to Columbia's Advanced Studio V

What will happen after the Environmental Protection Agency is done with the Superfund clean-up of the industrial pollution in the Gowanus Canal? The Bloomberg Administration and developers are hoping to line the shores of the waterway with residential developments and big box stores. However, there are more interesting strategies which take into account the long-term sustainability of New York City's economy and urban climate issues.

Graduate students from Architecture Planning and Preservation at Columbia University with Columbia Engineering and The School of Art, Media and Technology within Parsons The New School For Design have imagined this future. Their highly innovative and progressive designs for the renewal of the Gowanus area were on exhibit in a show entitled "Green-Gowanus: Re-Envisioning the Gowanus Canal" at the Old American Can Factory on Third Street this week-end.

The students' approaches were refreshing and their proposals open up an interesting dialogue on the area's long term site remediation and re-development.

Besides Columbia and Parsons The New School professors, Christos Tsiamis, EPA Region 2 Project Manager for the Gowanus Canal, was on hand to listen to the students' presentation.

The show was sponsored by Friends and Residents Of Greater Gowanus (F.R.O.G.G.)

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Green Gowanus: Columbia And Parsons Students Re-Envision An Industrial Canal

Green Gowanus: Re-Envisioning An Industrial Canal

Recently, both graduate students of Architecture Planning and Preservation at Columbia University with Columbia Engineering and The School of Art, Media and Technology within Parsons The New School For Design have worked on research projects re-envisioned the industrial canal. Their projects will be shown at the Old American Can Factory at 232 Third Street at Third Avenue from May 14th to 15th.
An opening reception is scheduled for Saturday 14th from 12 to 5 PM, with a Community Presentation at 4PM.
Please rsvp to: rrg2122@columbia.edu

The show is sponsored by Friends and Residents Of Greater Gowanus (F.R.O.G.G.)

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Tonight, Gowanus Canal CAG Meeting. All Welcomed!

This evening at 6:30 PM, the EPA Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group is meeting will be holding a general meeting at the Old American Can Factory, 232 3^rd Street. The public is welcome to attend.

The agenda will include: 1) Presentation and Q & A with Environmental Protection Agency Region 2 office staff about the Remedial Investigation, 2) Q & A about the upcoming Public Health Assessment, 3) CAG committee updates and other business

The Gowanus Canal Remedial Investigation is now online here.

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For Great Artisanal Gifts, Shop The Holiday (Makers) Market In Gowanus

T'is the season for giving and were better to shop for that perfect gift than at the (Makers) Market, where local artisans display and sell their unique designs made of high quality materials. Who needs department stores....

The Holiday (Makers) Market

at the Old American Can Factory

232 Third Street

at 3rd Avenue

Week-End One: Saturday-Sunday December 11-12

Week-End Two: Saturday-Sunday December 18-19

from 11 Am To 5 PM

Products: Tabletop · Homeware · Accessories · Jewelry · Tiles · Furniture · Skincare · Perfumes · Stationery · Fresh Food
Materials: Metals · Botanicals · Ceramics · Paper · Leather · Glass · Fiber · Wood · Synthetics · SugarCooking Demo, Tastings and Live Music on Sundays

For a list of participating artists, click here

The Park Slope Green Market will join in on Sunday December 12th and 19th

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From Russia With Hope: Delegation Visits The Gowanus Canal

Russian Delegation visiting the Gowanus Canal with members of the US EPA Washington and New York Region 2 offices as part of the United States-Russian Bilateral Presidential Commission's Environmental Working Group

(4th from left is Christos Tsiamis, EPA Gowanus Project Manager, then me,  second from right is Marlene Donnelly of FROGG, and first from the right is Natalie Loney, EPA Community Involvement Coordinator)

Proteus Gowanus

A sample of Gowanus Water at Proteus

The Old American Can Factory

Aerial view of the Gowanus Canal area from the rooftop of the Old American Can Factory

Photo-op

On Friday, December 3rd, a delegation of Russian Federal and Regional administrators toured the Gowanus Canal as part of the United States-Russian Bilateral Presidential Commission. The Commission was created in July 2009 by President Obama and President Medvedev of the Russian Federation to recognize common national interests and to coordinate relations amongst various agencies of both countries. This particular delegation was part of the Working Environmental Group and was here for technical exchange and training on the US Environmental Protection Agency's experience in management of hazardous waste.

The delegation first spent a few days in EPA's Washington office to learn about the Superfund program and then traveled to New York where Christos Tsiamis, EPA's Gowanus Canal Project Manager gave a presentation on his work. The presentation was followed by a visit to the polluted waterway.

Marlene Donnelly of FROGG and I had been invited to join the tour by Christos Tsiamis and Natalie Loney, EPA Community Involvement Coordinator, to speak about community involvement.

Currently, the Russian Federation is in the process of creating its own environmental program to address past environmental damage. Therefore, understanding the complexities and decision-making process of the Superfund program as it relates to the Gowanus Canal was of particular interest to the delegation.

The tour started on DeGraw Street, then proceeded to the Union Street Bridge. The next stop was Proteus Gowanus at 543 Union Street where Sasha Chavchavadze, the founder and director, welcomed the delegates in Russian and talked about Gowanus' vibrant artist community. The group toured the gallery's Hall Of The Gowanus and its display of art, artifacts, books and maps pertaining to the canal's history.

The tour continued on to the the Old American Can Factory at the corner of Third Avenue and Third Street. The old manufacturing building is home to over 200 people who work in the creative industry. Nathan Elbogen, its founder, accompanied the group to the building's rooftop to give them an aerial overview of the Gowanus Canal. Christos Tsiamis took the opportunity to point out the Whole Food site and the cement companies along the waterway.

I would like to thank Christos Tsiamis and Natalie Loney for inviting me to join the group on its tour. As always, it was fascinating to hear about the EPA's work on the canal.

It was a great pleasure to meet members of the Russian delegation.

Members Of The Russian Delegation

1. Vygon, Grigory Vladimirovich, Director, Office of Economics and Finances, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation

2. Nefediev, Nikolai Borisovich, Deputy Director, Deputy Director, Office of State Politics and Regulations in Environmental Protection and Environmental Security, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation


3. Burkanova, Olga Anatolievna, Office Director, Department of State Politics and Regulations in Environmental Protection and Environmental Security, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation

4. Sahno, Elena Vladimirovna, Referent, Referent, Office of Control and Execution, Department of Business and Human Resources, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation

5. Krivov, Ravil Alexeevich, Referent, Office of Economics and Finances, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation

6. Shpinkov, Viachslav Igorevich, Senior Specialinst/Expert, Office of International Cooperation, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation

7. Sergeeva, Daria Alexandrovna, Assistant Director, Office of Economics and Finances, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation

8. Ishutin, Vadim Borisovich, Deputy Chairman of Committee on Property and Duty of Voronezh Duma, Voronezh Regional Duma

9. Berlin, Jan Ernestovich, Deputy Head Administration of Nenetz Autonomous District on Infrastructure Development

10. Kungurtsev, Sergei Stanislavovich, Lead Consultant, Department of International and Inter-regional Relations, Information, and Mass-communications, Administration of Nenetz Autonomous District

11. Barsukov, Vladislav Valerievich, Director, Office of International Relations, “Ecobezopasnost” Institute

12. Kuznetsov, Dmitry Alexandrovich, Deputy Director, Office of International Relations, “Ecobezopasnost” Institute

13. Chernov, Alexander Efimovich, Minister, Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning of Kaluga Region

14. Vasutin, Alexander Sergeevich, Deputy Head of Representation of the Government of Kaluga Region in the Government of the Russian Federation, Representation of Government of Kaluga Region in the Government of the Russian Federation, Office of Representative of the Government of Kaluga Region in the Government of the Russian Federation

15. Sychev,Yury Fedorovich, Advisor to Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for International Cooperation in the Arctic and Antarctic, State Duma

16. Nicolaev Venedict Venedictovich, Director, “Ecobezopasnost” Institute

17. Agranovsky, Alexander, Director General, “GreenTeam” Ltd

18. Bratchikov, Alexander, Embassy of the Russian Federation

19. Shamrai, Pavel, Embassy of the Russian Federation

Interpreters:
Svetlana Guggenheim, RussianWorks, Inc.
Anna Mazurova, RussianWorks, Inc.

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Eco Friendly Clothes For Sale At Makers Market This Sunday

Maker Hilda

and one of her baby sweaters

Friend Linda Blyer and her daughter Raina will be at this Sunday's (Makers) Market at the Old American Can Factory on Third Street between Third and Fourth Avenue.

Raina will be selling her beautiful line of eco friendly clothes from her Ryann line, Linda will be offering the cute baby sweaters made by her 91 year-old mother.

So, if you want something fun to do, stop over at the (Makers) Market and say hi to Linda and Raina. And don't forget to check out Hilda's handiwork.

Here is a little info on the market:

The farmers and food artisans from the Park Slope Farmers Market sell their local produce and handcrafted food along side the Makers who sell artisanal wares, art and design products.

Along with local produce, wine, honey, farmstead cheese and gourmet breads, shoppers will find unique artisinal products such as stained glass panels, curiously decorated functional pottery, carefully crafted, wearable fine art, woven glass sculptures, delicious confections and much more.

The event runs from 11 am to 5 pm.

For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking

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