GOWANUS NEWS: Promised renovations lagging as rezoning threatens to leave public housing behind, by Asar John

As the Gowanus Canal waterfront rapidly shifts to a residential face, other parts of Gowanus are also getting makeovers — but at a much different pace.

The 2021 rezoning that spurred Gowanus’ development boom includes 56 commitments dedicated to area institutions, including $200 million to renovate the Gowanus and Wyckoff Gardens public housing complexes, paid for by city taxpayers.

But according to an August 2025 presentation from the Gowanus Oversight Task Force, a body of more than 30 community members responsible for monitoring these commitments, over a third have not seen significant progress. One of these lagging commitments noted in the presentation is the renovations of over 1,000 apartment units at the two NYCHA campuses in Gowanus.

When asked about construction progress in the apartments, a NYCHA spokesperson told Red Hook Star-Revue via email that construction is in the “initial phases” at both campuses, including repairing and abating vacant apartments for residents to live in temporarily during the construction.

The spokesperson added that “major construction” on apartments will begin next month. Apartment construction includes, but is not limited to, electrical and heating upgrades
and renovations of kitchens and bathrooms.

Gowanusmod.com, a website for the project updates, states that throughout November, the selected construction team, Mega/Technico Joint Venture, would conduct lead abatement in vacant apartments. It also states that once construction starts, work will be done floor by floor with a minimum of 6-8 apartments being rehabbed at a time.

Mega/Technico Joint Venture could not be reached by the time of publication.
The New York City Rezoning Commitments Tracker, an online tool used to monitor progress on major local projects, states that the combined budget for the rehabilitation is $223 million. However, an October press release from NYCHA lists the Gowanus projects’ pricetag as $247 million.

When asked about the project’s funding amount, a NYCHA spokesperson said the work contract includes $148.7 million for Gowanus Houses and $68 million for Wyckoff Gardens. Also, Gowanus Houses will get upgraded elevators through a $23 million investment from New York State.

The first phase of work on apartment units will happen at 175, 181-187 Hoyt Street, and 417 Baltic Street, all buildings within the Gowanus Houses complex.

As for the long-shuttered community centers, the Gowanus building is now complete, according to NYCHA. It will officially open when all community-based programs planned for the center are issued final permits and certificates. No expected opening date was provided.

An Oct. 20 Instagram post by District 39 Council Member Shahana Hanif celebrated a “soft-launch” opening of the Gowanus center, calling it “a milestone years in the making.” A spokesperson for Hanif did not respond to a Star-Revue inquiry on the renovations and official opening date of the community center.

The NYCHA spokesperson added that renovations to Wyckoff Gardens’ community center are almost complete, but did not provide an expected opening date. The work includes a 1,700-square-foot extension of the original building, new bathrooms, a classroom, an office, and a new kitchen.