Gowanus Lounge Turns One Today

Today is GL's first birthday. During our first year we posted 2,200 items, the first of which is pictured above. We hope we've made a small contribution toward adding to the flow of information in Brooklyn and to shedding some light on the things that we cover. You may agree with us on some issues or disagree strongly with us on others, but if you think we've added a little something to the discussion about Brooklyn's present and future, then we've been doing what we set out to do.

What motivates us is simple: to share information so that less happens in Brooklyn when no one is looking or has to wait a week to read about it. We know we can't get it all, but if we get a little and someone else gets a bit more, pretty soon a lot more information is available.

GL has been a labor of love, and the product of very long work days and very sore feet as we make our way around Brooklyn with a bag of photo gear slung over our shoulders. We have made many friends in the process, which is the nicest part about doing all of this.

We want to especially extend our thanks to Curbed founder Lockhart Steele, whose support and encouragement have been invaluable. Without Lockhart there might not even be a GL. Others have encouraged us too, particularly Gothamist founder Jake Dobkin, whose kind words have meant a lot, No Land Grab's Lumi Rolley, who has been a good friend, Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn's Louise Crawford, who was supportive from Day One, and Atlantic Yards Report's Norman Oder, whose dedication and intellect are inspiring. The sites that link to us regularly are too numerous to mention. You know who you are and we appreciate the fact that you find our stories worth mentioning. To the hundreds of thousands of visitors that have stopped in: Thank You. To our readers that have passed along valuable information, and to the particularly valued readers that have practically become contributors: Thank You. Thank You.

Our goals for the next year are simple: Bigger. Better. Faster. Smarter. Different. More.

A lot more.

Here's to Year Two.