Is it safe to live near the Gowanus Canal?

Living in the Gowanus neighborhood is generally considered safe, and the area around the canal has seen extensive new residential development in recent years. The pollution is concentrated in the canal's water and sediment, the focus of the ongoing EPA Superfund cleanup, rather than in the surrounding residential blocks, and new construction near the canal must meet environmental and building standards. As with any purchase near an industrial or remediation site, buyers should review environmental disclosures and a property's specific location, but the residential neighborhood itself remains desirable and growing.