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Linda Mariano

Linda Mariano

Linda Mariano was a founder of Friends and Residents of Greater Gowanus (F.R.O.G.G.) and was instrumental in attempts to preserve the area’s industrial heritage. Her efforts helped advance the eligibility of a Gowanus district for the state and national registers of historic places, as well as landmarking of five buildings in Gowanus in 2019.

Neighborhood: Gowanus, Brooklyn
People: Alyssa Loorya, Gregory Dietrich, Jane Jacobs, Walt Whitman
Organizations: Friends and Residents of Greater Gowanus (F.R.O.G.G.), Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group, Gowanus Landmarking Coalition, Historic Districts Council, Municipal Arts Society, New York City Planning Commission, National Register of Historic Places, Preservation League of New York State
Places: Gowanus Canal, 232 3rd Street (Somers Brothers Tinware Factory), 153 Second Street (the Batcave), 170 Second Avenue (Montauk Paint Manufacturing Building), Gowanus Canal Flushing Tunnel Pumping Station and Gate House, ASPCA Building.
Above: Linda Mariano | Courtesy of the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club

Linda Mariano was a passionate advocate essential to efforts to preserve the Gowanus (part of what was historically known as “South Brooklyn”) neighborhood’s industrial heritage in the 21st century. She moved to the area in 1976, where she and her husband Joseph renovated a brownstone on President Street a block from the polluted Gowanus Canal.[1] She was an artist, author, and teacher, and she worked at an antique store on the weekends.[2] Linda took on a leading role in the preservation of her community in 2002 when a developer sent a notice describing his intent to demolish a Civil War-era industrial building at 450-460 Union Street[3] in order to build luxury condos.[4] Beyond the fight to save historic architecture, Mariano also contributed to the rich culture of Gowanus. As an avid fan of Walt Whitman, she took part in The Centenarian’s Story reading which takes place annually along the Canal, and she led tours for the Municipal Arts Society’s ‘Jane’s Walk’ honoring Jane Jacobs in 2016.[5] Linda Mariano passed away on April 2, 2021. 

NYPAP Oral History: https://www.nypap.org/oral-history/linda-mariano/, Linda Mariano, interview by Kelly Carroll, 15 February 2011, transcript, New York Preservation Archive Project

Center for Brooklyn History, F.R.O.G.G. papers

Founding Member: Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group  

Founding Member: Friends and Residents of Greater Gowanus (F.R.O.G.G.) 

 [1] Katia Kelly, “On the Passing of Gowanus Activist and Historic Preservationist Linda Mariano,” Pardon Me for Asking, 2 April, 2021, https://pardonmeforasking.blogspot.com/2021/04/on-passing-of-gowanus-activist-and.html.

[2]  “Meet FROGG’s Founders Linda Mariano,” FROGG, accessed 13 August, 2021, https://www.froggbrooklyn.org/about/meet-froggs-founders.

[3]  “450-460 UNION STREET, Gowanus, Brooklyn”, Six to Celebrate, accessed 29 June, 2022, https://6tocelebrate.org/site/450-460-union-street/

[4] https://www.nypap.org/oral-history/linda-mariano/,  Linda Mariano, interview by Kelly Carroll, 15 February 2011, transcript, New York Preservation Archive Project, 1, 7; and “Meet FROGG’s Founders Linda Mariano,” FROGG, accessed 13 August, 2021, https://www.froggbrooklyn.org/about/meet-froggs-founders.

[5]  Brad Vogel, “A Tribute to Linda Mariano, Gowanus Advocate,” South Brooklyn Network, accessed 20 August, 2021, https://southbrooklyn.com/2021/04/03/a-tribute-to-linda-mariano-gowanus-advocate/; and Katia Kelly, “The Municipal Art Society of New York’s ‘Jane’s Walk 2016’ Included a Fascinating Tour of Gowanus Led by Long-Time Resident Linda Mariano,” Pardon Me for Asking, 9 May, 2016,
https://pardonmeforasking.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-municipal-art-society-of-new-yorks.html.

[6] https://www.nypap.org/oral-history/linda-mariano/,  Linda Mariano, interview by Kelly Carroll, 15 February 2011, transcript, New York Preservation Archive Project, 7.

[7] https://www.nypap.org/oral-history/linda-mariano/,  Linda Mariano, interview by Kelly Carroll, 15 February 2011, transcript, New York Preservation Archive Project, 7-8.

[8] https://www.nypap.org/oral-history/linda-mariano/,  Linda Mariano, interview by Kelly Carroll, 15 February 2011, transcript, New York Preservation Archive Project, 8.

[9]  https://www.nypap.org/oral-history/linda-mariano/, Linda Mariano, interview by Kelly Carroll, 15 February 2011, transcript, New York Preservation Archive Project, 8.

[10] https://semspub.epa.gov/work/02/122499.pdf, “FINAL REPORT: NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES ELIGIBILITY EVALUATION AND CULTURAL RESOURCES ASSESMENT FOR THE GOWANUS CANAL BOROUGH OF BROOKLYN, KINGS COUNTY, NEW YORK IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION STUDY”, prepared by Hunter Research, Inc., prepared for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, May, 2004.

[11] https://6tocelebrate.org/neighborhood-items/gowanus/, “GOWANUS, BROOKLYN”, 6 to Celebrate, visited on September 28, 2022. https://hdc.org/preservation/linda-mariano-frogg-friends-residents-greater-gowanus-post/, Voices from the Neighborhood, Interview with Linda Mariano, Historic District Council, March 21, 2014.

[12] https://www.preservenys.org/blog/preserve-new-york-grants-2011?rq=Gowanus, “Preserve New York Grants – 2011”, Preservation League of New York State, December 5, 2011.

[13] http://sixtocelebrate.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/NatlReg-HDC_flyer.pdf, “Development Group Agititate to prevent Economic Development in Gowanus”, Historic District Council, March, 2014.

[14]  Eric McClure, “Remembering Linda Mariano,” Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group, accessed 16 August, 2021, https://gowanuscag.org/index.php/2021/04/02/remembering-linda-mariano/; and Joseph Alexiou, “’Hallelujah’ for Gowanus Canal, Superfund Site,” Observer, 3 March 2010. https://observer.com/2010/03/hallelujah-for-gowanus-canal-superfund-site/; and Linda Mariano, interview by Kelly Carroll, 15 February 2011, transcript, New York Preservation Archive Project, 10.

[15]  https://www.nypap.org/oral-history/linda-mariano/, Linda Mariano, interview by Kelly Carroll, 15 February 2011, transcript, New York Preservation Archive Project, 11.

[16] Kevin Duggan, “City Landmarks Five Ancient Gowanus Buildings Ahead of Neighborhood Rezoning,” Brooklyn Paper, 30 October 2019, https://www.brooklynpaper.com/city-landmarks-five-ancient-gowanus-buildings-ahead-of-neighborhood-rezoning/.

[17]  Katia Kelly, “Gowanus Residents Gather to Save Gowanus Station Building at Candlelight Vigil,” 11 April 2018, https://pardonmeforasking.blogspot.com/2018/04/gowanus-residents-gather-to-save.html.

[18] Lore Croghan, “City landmarks 5 Gowanus buildings, but advocates push for more,” Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 29 October 2019, https://brooklyneagle.com/articles/2019/10/29/city-landmarks-5-gowanus-buildings-but-advocates-push-for-more/. Also see the LPC designation reports for: 232 3rd Street (Somers Brothers Tinware Factory), 153 Second Street (the Batcave), 170 Second Avenue (Montauk Paint Manufacturing Building), Gowanus Canal Flushing Tunnel Pumping Station and Gate House, and the ASPCA Building.

[19] “Rezoning,” Gowanus Canal Conservancy, accessed 30 August 2021, https://gowanuscanalconservancy.org/rezoning/; and “Gowanus: A Framework For a Sustainable, Inclusive, Mixed-Use Neighborhood,” NYC Planning, accessed 16 August, 2021, https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/planning/download/pdf/plans-studies/gowanus/gowanus-framework-full.pdf.