Source: Crain’s

Date Published: 09.23.2025

Link: Developer adds to Gowanus boom with two projects that sidestep wage requirements

Manhattan-based Avdoo is moving forward with two new residential projects in Gowanus, opting for smaller buildings that avoid the state’s 485-unit tax break wage mandate for developments with more than 100 units. Plans filed with the Department of Buildings show an 86-unit, 127,000-square-foot building at 613 Union Street and a 39-unit, 66,000-square-foot building at 610 Sackett Street, both 8 stories and 95 feet tall with ground-floor retail and some low-income units. The Union Street site also includes 601 Union, acquired by Avdoo for $29.4 million in late 2024, where an industrial building will be demolished. Industry observers note the decision to split what could have been a 125-unit project reflects a growing trend in Gowanus as developers navigate rezoning and seek to bypass the $40-per-hour minimum wage requirement tied to larger projects.