A new residential building in Gowanus is offering more than just housing.

The development at 420 Carroll St., which opened in February, includes a public park, retail space and artist studios. It is part of a broader effort to revitalize the neighborhood’s waterfront.

The site was once a truck-filled parking lot. It has now been transformed into a green space with seating designed by local artists and views of the growing Gowanus skyline.

“This was a parking lot filled with trucks of different uses, not meant for parking spaces,” said Jason Hill, marketing director for Domain Companies. “Now these are being repurposed for public use.”

Hill said the retail component will be key to the area’s future.

“That will be the lifeblood of this neighborhood,” he said adding "unlike some of the older projects these retail spaces face the waterfront, they will be local chains and it will be built for the community including the nearly 15,000 people that will be part of this area at the intersection of Park Slope and Carroll Gardens."

420 Carroll Street isn't acting alone. As part of the area's rezoning, every new development along the Gowanus waterfront is expected to include similar public amenities, such as green spaces, retail and other community features along the length of the waterfront.

Among the new additions as part of 420 Carroll are the maker spaces, with seven waterfront studios for local artists. Shelby Jackson, one of the artists selected for a fellowship through Arts Gowanus, recently toured her new studio that she'll be able to use free of charge for her artwork, sculpting and more.

“I’m super excited,” Jackson said. “To have my own studio, it gives me the free range to play with my imagination. Go big or go home.”

Johnny Thornton, executive director of Arts Gowanus, said the studios are designed to support artists who are priced out of the market. “This offers workspaces to people who really cannot afford what the market has,” he said, adding, "studios like this could be rented for around $100 a month, and we are going to have more spaces, and more fellowships for the additional spaces as they come to the waterfront."

Developers say the goal is to create spaces that invite the community in.

“People will come down, see the green spaces, the inviting spaces, check it out for themselves,” Hill said. “You’re never going to go wrong investing in communities.”

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