[David in San Antonio]

The Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn was an important navigable path for industrial barges, and the recipient of unprocessed waste. It got the title as one of the most polluted places in the US, and was declared a Superfund site. Due to high housing prices, the industrial buildings along the canal are being refurbished as apartments. (A friend lives in one and it’s very nice.) There are ongoing efforts to clean up the canal.