Gowanus community prepares to fight proposed parole site
A group of concerned Brooklynites have filed suit against New York state to halt the construction of a proposed location for a large parole facility in the Gowanus neighborhood.
The suit, filed by United Gowanus — an organization created for the purpose of thwarting the efforts of the state with regard to the parole building — cites a number of concerns, including the environmental constraints of the neighborhood, the adverse impact on the community and a controversial zoning policy granted by former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
According to the concerned organization, the NYS Office of General Services (OGS) and NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) failed to perform the necessary environmental review or take into consideration the community at large.
The facility is expected to take up 61,000 square feet located at 15 Second Ave. near Whole Foods, which sits directly behind the facility site. The parole center, the suit notes, is expected to serve “all of Brooklyn’s 6,000-plus parolees at a rate of up to 526 per weekday,” posing concerns for the families, businesses and children in the neighborhood.