Matt Sollars

Public Place, a vacant lot between Smith Steet and the Gowanus Canal, is the latest parcel of land to enter Brooklyn’s heated affordable housing and development debate.

At a series of meetings in the community, which will continue next month, the city has begun finally to move towards developing the lot.

Mayor Bloomberg’s PlaNYC 2030 announcement last month seemed to give a clue to the city’s thinking. A map of the Gowanus Rezoning, a highlight of Bloomberg’s plan, indicated that Public Place could be the site of a complex with over 200 units.

The site is contaminated after 100 years as a coal-fired gas plant. Keyspan has agreed to pony up some money to clean the site, to the tune of $62 million. But, some wonder if the site will be clean enough for the senior housing the city wants to put there.