Gotham Greens was founded by Viraj Puri and Eric Haley in 2008, aiming to bring fresh, local and pesticide-free vegetables, grown using ecologically sustainable methods, to urban areas. Puri has a sustainable development and environmental engineering background, and Haley has a banking and finance background and focuses on the business side of the venture. The company is headed by Puri, Haley and Jennifer Nelkin-Frymark, who joined in 2009 to lead greenhouse operations.
After three years of planning, in May 2011 Gotham Greens opened its first location, a 15,000 square-foot greenhouse in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
The 15,000 square-foot rooftop facility in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, opened in 2011, becoming the first commercial urban hydroponic farm in the United States. It was built on the roof of a former bowling alley. The company harvested its first vegetables in May 2011, which it began selling the following month. Within a year, it was on track to deliver 100 tons of produce, expanding in its second year from salad greens and basil to include tomatoes.
Gotham Greens produce is grown in greenhouse facilities using hydroponic techniques, renewable energy, and water conservation techniques. The greenhouse facilities use automated climate control systems run from computer rooms adjacent to the greenhouse, which maintains an ideal climate for the greenhouse through the use of sun shades, vents, lights, heaters and fans. The enclosed greenhouse protects against inclement weather, allowing the company to grow food year-round, and helps control pest infestation. The company uses organic, non-GMO seeds and beneficial insects, such as ladybugs or bumblebees, so that when a crop-eating bug is found, its natural enemy is unleashed.
Gotham Greens states that its water-efficient hydroponic farming process uses 10 times less water and 20 times less land than traditional soil-based agriculture, and offers higher and more consistent crop yields. Without soil, there is no fertilizer or pesticide runoff, helping to leave a minimal environmental impact.
According to wikipedia
