GOWANUS BAY TERMINAL (GBX) STUDIO PROJECT
//planning red hook's resilient industrial ecosystem
The Gowanus Bay Terminal (GBX) Studio was a semester long collaborative project for first year urban planning students at Columbia University's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation (GSAPP). The studio's focus was to aid the client, John Quadrozzi of Quadrozzi Urban Enterprises, with a site plan and recommendation for an "industrial ecosystem" for his Gowanus Bay Terminal (GBX) site located in Red Hook, Brooklyn.
The goals of the studio were to: (1) develop portions of the upland property and water development rights into a publicly accessible park and community space, featuring a space for community programming (2) expand the industrial uses on site by filling roughly 20 of the 33 acres of existing water development rights (3) enhance the historic maritime elements on site by providing local maritime related employment, a museum, and the ability for large marine vessels to operate on site
Gowanus Bay Terminal is located at 699 Columbia Street in Red Hook, Brooklyn. The neighborhood is on the western side of Brooklyn, bordered by the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway to the north, the Buttermilk Channel to the west, Gowanus Bay to the south, and Gowanus Canal to the east.
GBX is owned by John Quadrozzi, Jr. and is currently utilized for concrete production. The site is made up of 13 acres upland and 33 acres of underwater development rights. The upland portion is currently used for transportation parking and bulk storage of concrete aggregates. Additionally, it houses over thirty small businesses.
GBX is also home to the retired Port Authority Grain Terminal, which was built in 1922. The now empty facility is used mainly for music video and movie shoots. GBX sits on the Gowanus Bay and Henry Street slip, which offers deep-water access to the site.
The Loujaine, a concrete bulk carrier that is reaching the end of its useful life, is currently docked at GBX. The Studio's proposal addresses the adaptive reuse of this ship, as the client prefers for it to be preserved on his site. The Yankee, a retired Ellis Island Ferry, is also docked at GBX.
// red hook neighborhood analysis
This studio explored resilient industrial expansion within the context of the opportunities and challenges facing the Red Hook community. The goal was to create a resilient waterfront site that promotes mixed waterfront uses, educates people about New York City's industrial maritime history, and creates good local jobs, while also engaging and considering the local community. Through research and analysis of Red Hook, the studio identified several challenges currently facing the neighborhood:
(1) Poor transportation access throughout Red Hook with only two buses and no subway lines
(2) Limited waterfront access despite the neighborhood being surrounded by water on three sides
(3) Residential development pressure because of the predicted increase in population over the next twenty years
(4) Resiliency issues due to the fact Red Hook is located in a high-risk flood zone
(5) Sub-optimal industrial business retention, despite favorable zoning regulations
(6) High unemployment rates, with Red Hook averaging 19.8% unemployment and 25% in the Red Hook Houses
// gowanus bay terminal site plan proposal
For the final site design, the studio proposed that roughly 20 of the 33 acres of water rights on the client's property be filled and used primarily to expand his industrial businesses. The proposal includes an elevated deck that will span roughly 500,000 square feet. The deck will contain a precast facility, an adjacent water treatment plant for the precast factory, and a concrete batching plant. Conveyors will transport aggregate stored in the grain elevator to the batching plant. Underneath the elevated deck there will be ample room for transportation parking and this plan will allow the client to expand the space of his transportation business. This proposal also integrates the SS US into the design, accompanied by an adjacent public greenway that runs to the water edge. The SS Yankee will be docked at the end of greenway. Adjacent to the grain elevator, we propose the client fill a portion of the Henry Street Slip to accommodate a public park that incorporates the landed Loujaine, a recreational marina, and a living shoreline.
download the full project report here.