Community Garden Finally Coming to Vacant 4th Ave Lot?
The lot on the corner of 4th Avenue and Sackett Street has sat unused for a very long time, but now there’s an indication that the city is finally going to make good on a promise to hand it over to the community. The Department of Environmental Protection has commandeered the space for more than…
The lot on the corner of 4th Avenue and Sackett Street has sat unused for a very long time, but now there’s an indication that the city is finally going to make good on a promise to hand it over to the community. The Department of Environmental Protection has commandeered the space for more than a decade because of ongoing work on an underground water shaft tunnel but promised to give it to the community once work wraps. Back in 2007 the Park Slope Civil Council wondered, “Will We Ever See Green Atop Shaft 22B?” At that time, there was still years of construction to go. But according to the minutes of last month’s Community Board 6 meeting, the DEP announced that a landscape art/community garden will be constructed on the property. It’s unclear what the actual timetable is for the garden’s construction since there hasn’t been a feasibility study for the project, and community input still needs to be solicited. We’re also not certain whether the water shaft project has actually been completed: While construction of the garden was supposed to start back in the fall of 2009, in 2010 the city announced that the water shaft work wouldn’t be finished until 2013. The community board asked that the DEP return to the board to help clarify concerns and questions about the construction. Here’s hoping this project actually becomes a reality sometime in our lifetimes. GMAP
That “vacant lot” hides the Brooklyn Terminus of Tunnel #3 for the city’s reservoir system. Beneath that “lot” is huge cistern, the diameter of the lot, 600 feet deep, and capped by a pumping station. It was finished over a decade ago, ending a 30-year project. Because of the infrastructure below, nothing could ever be built on top. Once it was built it had to be tied-in to the existing water tunnels at 6th Ave in Park Slope, so Union Street was a 16-foot construction pit from 4th to 6th Avenues for almost 2 years. The construction company asked to retain use of the lot as a parking lot, staging area and an on-site supply yard until all of the additional lines were done. For some time, and beginning 13 years ago, the city has been in discussions with Operation Green Thumb and The Gardens of Union about it becoming a greenspace or community garden, but 9/11 changed everything. The city was reluctant to grant public access to any part of the City’s water supply as it was considered a possible target for terrorist sabotage. That remained the last true obstacle. If it finally goes to the Parks Department/ Green Thumb as promised it may not need a feasibility study, since most of the primary issues have been resolved, even if put on the back burner for a decade by a new issue.
Yup, that park was promised as “coming soon” back when I moved onto that block in 2002.
Yup, that park was promised as “coming soon” back when I moved onto that block in 2002.