Warren Lewis Resources
Keyline

Neighborhoods

Gowanus

Gowanus is a neighborhood that has undergone a renaissance both cultural and physical.  Once an industrial area of Brooklyn, Gowanus today is full of residential developments and is earning a reputation as an arts culture neighborhood.  Former warehouses are now home to spacious apartments, art galleries, and performance spaces.  A Whole Foods store, scheduled to open in 2013, will provide residents with healthy, organic food. The Brooklyn Artists’ Gym offers communal studio space.

The Gowanus Canal, a distinguishing feature of the area, has been decontaminated over the last decade and now inspires some residents to think of their neighborhood as “Brooklyn’s Venice.”  A canoe club leads trips on the water.

Along the canal, some warehouses and manufacturing buildings still stand as a reminder of the neighborhood’s rich industrial history.  Brick townhouses line the residential streets and are characterized by their spacious stoops with ornate wrought-iron railings.  The neighborhood has a charming, secluded feel despite being conveniently close to popular commercial areas.

Gowanus is located next to Carroll Gardens, bounded by Butler Street to the north and the Gowanus Expressway to the south.  East to west, the neighborhood runs from Fourth Avenue to Smith and Hoyt Streets.  Attractions include the Gowanus Yacht Club on Smith Street as well as perhaps the oldest Italian diner around: Monte’s Venetian Room, established in 1906.

For shopping, Gowanus residents take advantage of Lowe’s home improvement store on Ninth Street.  Many also take the short walk to Park Slope’s Fifth Avenue or to Carroll Gardens’ Smith Street restaurant row.

Gowanus is served by the F/G, M and R subway lines.

Visit New York Magazine's Neighborhood Profile for more information.