Gowanus Development—Century-Old Masonry Closes And Small Manufacturers Building Planned

GOWANUS – F. Ranieri + Sons Corp. will shut down its masonry and building materials business situated at a Gowanus property the company has owned for more than a century, the Commercial Observer reports.

Owner Frank Ranieri is retiring but will continue to manage and rent out the property located at 185 Second Avenue between 14th and 15th Streets, the article states.

A new company called American Tool & Equipment Rental has signed a 15-year lease for the 5,000-square-foot, one-story industrial building as well as the 10,000 square feet of land surrounding the facility, according to the article. The company will use the building as a showroom and maintenance center and the outdoor space to store construction equipment.

Over on Third Street, a 13-story industrial building is planned to create workspace for small manufacturers and makers, DNA Info reports.

Located at 148 Third Street between the Gowanus Canal and Bond Street, Abra Construction will build a 68,000-square-foot facility that will accommodate small manufacturing businesses such as “woodworkers, ceramicists and makers of glass, textiles and jewelry,” the article states, and will also have space for boat repairs and sail making.

The building’s amenities will include a roof terrace, 90 parking spaces for cars, as well as bicycle parking, DNA Info says.

All this proves that development in Gowanus is not slowing down—with high-end residential buildings and new structures continuing to rise along the Canal and old buildings continuing to be repurposed into modern facilities to house creative and tech industry tenants.