PM Update: BCUE's Cool New Green Gowanus Digs

The Brooklyn Center for the Urban Environment has moved into cool new digs on newly-hot Seventh Street in Gowanus (which will also be the site of the new Union Hall venue). We got an early look at it last week, but were asked to keep the photos to ourselves until today. Well, the day has arrived, and we can show the new BCUE HQ, which is a former doll house factory. The building is super-environmentally friendly and is shooting for a Gold LEED certification. The $4.2 million project features Vermont slate steps, the original reclaimed floor (which had been under three inches of concrete), steps and tables made from original wood that was removed, low-flow toilets and rainwater recapture system and more energy-saving bells and whistles than we could keep up with (maximum ambient lighting, sector-control system to turn lights on and off depending on use, energy saving fixtures throughout). BCUE had been housed in an historic building in Prospect Park that was particularly conducive to its education mission. The new facility has big meeting and teaching spaces in addition to office space for staff. The move took place in late January when workers were still putting the final touches on the building. The actual public grand opening is on May 10.