Help Test for Toxic Vapors in Our Space

Hello—

We are a group of fellow renters in the Park Slope / Gowanus Bandspaces building on Douglass Street. We have been made aware that our practice space is in a zone affected by toxic vapors. We are hiring an environmental inspection company to conduct testing on the building and are crowd-sourcing the $1,333 fee. Please read on for more information.

There have been multiple recent reports of toxic, cancerous chemicals in our neighborhood in media outlets such NYT , Brooklyn Eagle , and NY Post , as well as statements by the Department of Environmental Conservation , and an ABC NY television segment from June 2024. Collection of resources can be found on this linktree.

We have written to the Bandspaces management to share what we've learned about trichloroethylene (TCE) in the Gowanus Canal area, and ask for their plans to test the building. They have claimed that they can only authorize testing upon request from building owners, who have not responded to our requests.

In speaking with a lawyer, they have advised that any legal action needs to be based on research that we must conduct on our own. If air quality inspection comes back with bad results, then we have grounds to take legal action. We have received a quote of $1,333.72 from Exclusive Testing Labs , a local environmental testing service.

Thank for contributing to the community of Bandspaces. Together, we can keep us safe.