In the first section of the walk, through the most gentrified portion of Union Street, three things in particular stood out to me:
- There is an abundance of healthcare related businesses in the area, ranging from the typical and necessary–like a pharmacy and an oral surgeon–to what some people think of as frivolous, such as an acupuncturist and a chiropractor.
- The streets and sidewalks are clean, well-paved and very pedestrian-friendly. The inclusion of Dixon’s Bike Shop on Union Street supports the idea of the neighborhood being highly conducive to more health-conscious means of transportation.
- Healthy food options seem to be everywhere. The Park Slope Food Coop is located on Union Street, providing affordable nutrition for the neighborhood’s residents. There are also several restaurants, an organic market and even a fiber-focused store.
Moving on from 5th Avenue to Nevins Street, Union Street begins to morph. While it seemed as though every home from Grand Army Plaza to 5th Avenue was a beautifully restored brownstone, the houses in this section of the street are starting to look a bit shabby in comparison. There are far fewer food options–all I spot is one or two rundown restaurants and a deli–and while I do notice an optometrist, not much else in the way of healthcare catches my eye. There does appear to be a small bike shop just around the corner on 3rd Avenue, but it is greatly overshadowed by the various auto repair shops and the mighty Hess gas station, all along Union Street itself. As I near Nevins Street, the area seems decreasingly upscale and increasingly industrial.
Now standing on the Union Street Bridge, I look down into the Gowanus Canal in horror. Is that…is that even water? It is so murky that I fear for whatever organisms that incredulously call this their home. There is quite a bit of trash; I can’t smell anything in particular, but I can only imagine the potential stench in warmer weather. (As though New Yorkers don’t deal with summer garbage smell enough already.) The canal is surrounded by industrial buildings, with nicer high-rises visible in the distance.
Moving along to the Carroll Street Bridge, it appears to be low tide. I can see the high tide line, however, and if the water level were to rise three feet…things would not be pretty. The water would be dangerously close to overflow. As a local sign confirms that this is a “Wet Weather Discharge Point,” if the water rises three feet and it rains, I would assume that the added combination of rainwater and delightful raw sewage would cause a flood of the surrounding area. Yum, residents would love that.
