475 Kent Avenue Evacuated, Due to Numerous Violations;
Building Had Illegal Apartments, Matzoh Factory

Satellite map rendering of 475 Kent Avenue from Live Search Maps

Over 150 residents of an eleven-story building at Kent Avenue in South Williamsburg were evacuated yesterday after the Fire Department and Buildings Department found a number of violations. The building had been illegally converted to residences and a matzoh factory, complete with two silos of (highly combustible) grain in the basement. A neighboring building was cited as well, and the violations ranged from non-working standpipes (which firefighters use to deliver water to fires), illegal partitions, blocked exits, inoperable sprinkler systems and others, including the illegal grain silos for the unauthorized basement bakery.

Residents were forced to move out by midnight, and many were upset about being asked to do so on an extremely cold night. One emailed Gowanus Lounge:

There are cops and firefighters roaming the halls of my building in south williamsburg telling everyone that the "building is being vacated" at this very moment. my building has about 100 or so people in it and is located at 475 kent ave. apparently there are numerous fire code violations and such. but, instead of trying to fix them, they are attempting to put 100 or so folks on the street on a 20 degree sunday night. i've refused to go anywhere. i have a dog and i have don't know that i can take her anywhere. what really bothers me is that the FDNY believes that my safety is being enhanced by putting myself and my dog on the street on a night where we could both literally freeze to death. this is real and it is indeed happening right now.

Residents were offered housing assistance from the Red Cross, but it's unclear how long that will last and when they will be allowed back in. The building has been slapped with a number of violations over the years.

This morning, the police on hand were letting residents wait inside the lobby to stay warm while they made arrangements to move out their belongings; an Office of Emergency Management Command Center was stationed across the street from the entrance.

We spoke with a third floor resident who wished to remain anonymous. When asked why he thought they were evicted on such a bitterly cold night, he told us:

I don’t think anyone knows. We’re essentially thrown out on the street, for safety issues and a lack of occupancy. But there are about 300 residents here who’ve been renting under the guise of being able to live here. We pay rent to a company named Sheila Management.

And it’s not like we’re living here as a slum. People are paying a ton of money; there are lawyers who live here, doctors, producers and some of the most famous photographers in the world. It’s a pretty substantial group of people paying a lot of money to live here. I was paying close to $2,000 a month for a 900 square feet space. My place was set up with kitchen, stove, track lighting and all that stuff. There are people who spent tens of thousands of dollars on their space.

Asked when he thought they’d be able to return, he said, “Not anytime soon. There’s months of work they have to do and they need a certificate of occupancy. Sheila owns the whole lot and I don’t want to speculate but there’s a reason they want to empty the whole lot.”

Photograph of 475 Kent Avenue at night by imjustsayin' on Flickr

Building owner Nachman Brach also owns the Williamsburg building where firefighter Daniel Pujdak fell to his death last year. The FDNY had been responding to a fire, which was accidentally set by a resident's cigarette in the illegally converted building (though Brach was in the process of trying to legalize the situation). We asked another former resident of the building if he knew he was living in an illegal conversion:

Well, when I first moved in, in 2002, I had no idea. My girlfriend at
the time found it on Craigslist and we went through the normal process of signing a lease, giving a security deposit, etc... It wasn't until a year or so later when we tried to upgrade our cable to carry internet when our provider told us that a commercial internet package was around $300.00 a month. I insisted that I didn't need a commercial contract but they then informed me that the building was zoned as commercial.

He also mentioned that a number of film and TV shoots and weddings took place in the building and added, "I hope that these violations can somehow be addressed because it would be a shame to see this building sitting vacant, demolished, or converted into million dollar condos. There is also the fact that hundreds of people/families call this home and have so for years. It really is a shame and there should be something that the people there can do."

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on January 21, 2008 12:39 PM

Comments [rss]

mauvescientist

Ummm...Floridadaze? Thanks for your incoherent rant against a tenant, 475 kent, the city?

The point is that artists need mixed use space for their practice. People, not just famous artists, but people of all sorts are stripes are getting tossed out in the cold by the FDNY because their landlords can't be bothered to keep the buildings safe. At 247 Water Street, the landlord used the FDNY to do his dirtywork in 2000. At 1717 Troutman, residents are still out of their homes and businesses. So you had a negative experience with a tenant of 475 Kent, 10 years ago. So what? The point is that this is happening to people all over the city, and has been happening for some time. The whole community needs to start to work together on this, not quibble over old dirty laundry.

Floridadaze

I lived in 475 Kent Ave. back in 1999 when only one floor was fully developed. (the 8th). myself and my friend who found the place in an advert somewhere were about to rent a place on the 11th floor top that was almost finished being developed by an artist couple renting out spaces on the floor they held on a 10 year lease, to "pay for" their own space in the best location. While we were deciding on it, my friend met a girl who had taken the 9th and 10th floors with her husband and another partner (all artists); and were doing the same, but with a slower system and budget. She convinced him to take her "own" space for a sublet time of three to four months for more space, less money unbeknowst to me. Being an artist - I thought ok that is fine, artists wouldn't screw other artists. I was new to NYC a dream of mine, my friend did it all for me. Well to make a long story short, SHE was a nightmare who took him for his money, and treated me like a nonentity - I was NOT a "famous" artist of any kind, and she made sure I didn't get to stay there in her own uniguely draconian way that included locking me and my artist boyfriend who was NOT The one I started with - out summarily, illegally, etc. So much worse than being screwed by the police or any other government agency. No one feels sorry for you when you're screwed over by a bitch who showed in the Whitney.

I have since lived in two other loft buildings in the more terrible parts of W'burg than that, was a pioneer in one for 7 years where cars burnt outside our door till it too was purchased to upgrade for condos and all the tenanats who did't smell it coming (I did) who didn't get out got screwed. I then moved into another infamous landlords space to be royally screwed AFTER the fire he was responsible for nearly burned me and my pets and my art.... so now I am not in the burg anymore. Sadly on allot of levels...but I must say, the meanies are on both sides of this issue, and EVERYONE knows it's illegal including the owners, subrenters, subsub renters, etc. It is all done to help the realestate development in the cities armpits and when it gets cleaned up, hipped up and lucrative beyond their wildest dreams they kick the artists out. But believe me...some of those "artists" have learned how to be just as nasty and even more so than the city and way beforehand. So I say YAHOO I am glad some of those that made their money off their "friends" in that building are in the street...but of course they are so cool...they won't be cold.

gothamgirrl

okay, so this article about sums it up. http://gothamist.com/2008/01/27/475_kent_avenue.php

Does the ACLU help with this sort of thing? Somebody must know a lawyer?? _gg

gothamgirrl

Good luck to all of you. As I said, find out which developer is interested in these properties and which city officials they have in their pocket and you might find the thread which connects to these sudden events. From what I hear, the landlord at 475 Kent was offered $100m a year ago to sell the building and refused because he liked his artist/tenants and his Yeshiva. Maybe the developer who he turned down is the one who instigated this eviction? _just a thought.

1717troutman

During the 1717 Troutman vacate (the circumstances of which were eerily similar to 475 Kent's), New York Magazine, via wannabe journalist Annsley Chapman, chose to play up the "he, he, they're just hipsters" factor in lieu of any actual journalism. Here is how 220 suddenly homeless New Yorkers were treated by Annsley Chapman's sorry reporting:

http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2007/10/hipsters_sometime_live_in_quee.html

Isn't that great?! Aside from dealing with homelessness, several Troutman folks ended up with red arrows over their heads!

I hope the 475 Kent residents get attention from real investigative journalists. Good luck!

bigbootyhog

This happened to me and 200+ this fall at 1717 Troutman. I'm wondering how many of the thousands of people living in Brooklyn's illegally converted commercial lofts are going to meet the same fate?

PS - 3rd Ward, why didn't WE get a little much needed help? Especially since we were right down the street? Is it because our photographers aren't famous enough?

stllmitzy

3rd Ward opens its doors to the Residents of 475 Kent Ave.

3rd Ward a Brooklyn community art space and studio facility on Morgan Ave. in East Willamsburg is opening their doors as an artist refugee camp to all tenants forced to vacate their building at 475 Kent Street.

Bring your sleeping bag and stay as long as you need. If you lost your studio space you are welcome to use all of 3rd Wards facilities including their wood and metal shop, media lab and photo studio.

This is the time for us to pull together as a community. Please pass this onto everyone you know. Lets make sure no one is left out in the cold.

For more information contact 3rd Ward at 718.715.4961 or info@3rdward.com.

west side Michael

What part of illegal did this Landlord not know

about , ditto for the youngish tenants?.

No C.of O. Gotta go.

The NY Loft board was created for this very reason back in the 1980's as the NYFD did not wish for artist families to die in loft building firetraps.

Years ago one had to have a large sign up saying

A.I.R. (artist in residence) to alert the firefighters that the building had inhabitants.

Firefighters hate old loft buildings cause they

burn with old wood and opencockloft spaces are

common forcing fire to move laterally.

gothamgirrl

I've been reading all your posts and you all sound like a bunch of bigoted, anti-Semitic rednecks to me. You ought to go back to booneville or dixie, or where ever it is you hale from.

Any real New Yorker knows that illegal loft conversions built this city. If you want to find the culprit, look to whichever developer has his eye on the building and wants it for a yuppie condo conversion, and wants all the good hard working artists (who have been keeping the building and the neighborhood afloat for years, while the city turns a blind eye) out asap to make way for yuppies who want to pretend they are interesting. Matzo factories, girls yeshivas and artists is what gave the neighborhood its vibrancy and the reason why they want to own it in the first place. Why not ask the city why it suddenly cares?

The same thing happened in DUMBO in 2000. Now it's a backdrop for wedding photos. A movie set. In the words of Gertrude Stein, "There is no there there."

downesdesign

Mendel Brach is Nachman Brach's brother. A charming pair.

My wife and I and our first son lived at 475 for a year and a half. It was a great community that I've often missed, and it's a real shame to see it summarily destroyed.

And while there were no doubt various building code violations throughout the building, it probably could have been brought up to residential code if the city had been willing to work with the people living there. But that would also have required Nachman's cooperation.

This way, once Nachman's had his hand slapped for his filthy matzoh operation (knowing what the loading dock and basement were like, I shudder to think at hygenic conditions there), he

and Mendel can get on with redeveloping the now vacant property into another luxe tower.

Mazel tov!

anonBurger

Owner is "Nachman Brach"? Wondering if there's any relation to Mendel Brach, the infamous developer of Williamsburg's Finger Building.

JacqueMehoff

I wonder who dropped the dime on them?

Kevin Bracken

Illegal apartments and a matzoh factory?

Only in Williamsburg.

Brooklyn Book Worm

Evicting folks at short notice on the coldest night of the year is NOT a graceful way to do it, but the City has an unavoidable duty to protect tenants from irresponsible landlords. As the same landlord's misadventure on Leonard Street proved, this can quite literally be a matter of life and death.

Repeating other posters and adding points of my own, here are easy, cheap ways to check the Certificate of Occupancy:

1. Log into nyc.gov, click on the Buildings Department, and look up your address. You can even get a PDF facsimile of the latest Certificate of Occupancy.

2. Apply for cable TV. If they quote commercial rates, you know the building isn't legal.

3. Apply for Homeowners Insurance. Tenant insurance is not expensive ($500 - $600 a year, depending on the value of your stuff) and protects you from fire and theft and drunk party guests. The company will refuse the application if the address is not residential.

Be extra careful when you BUY. I know a couple who bought in a factory conversion, only to discover that finance, insurance, and re-sale are all impossible, owing to lies the builder told the City.

The allure of the fast buck entices people of all religions and races to cut corners. In the jungle of NY real estate, caveat emptor -- legalese for "cover your ass" -- is an imperative.

pfa

there seem to be motzah factories all over east williamsburg. they all look like filthy decreptit firetraps.

how much does a motzah factory worker make, anyway?

jaja007

didn't gary oldman used to live in this building?

this sort of sucks, but anyone who doesn't weigh snappy eviction as a possible outcome when he or she makes a lifestyle choice to inhabit in a non-residential property is a ninny.

shovel

There's no such thing as an iron-clad legal waiver. At best it can save the city 20% on damages as from the lawsuits brought on by the aforementioned Jewish Lightning.

Ha, I wonder if my renters insurance covers this particular phenomenon. ;)

True about the waivers, but I'd sure as hell be more likely to sue for damages brought about by being thrown on the street than at least allowing me to make arrangements in my home.

ern

There's no such thing as an iron-clad legal waiver. At best it can save the city 20% on damages as from the lawsuits brought on by the aforementioned Jewish Lightning. Then the lawyers swoop down. Nothing's going to stop someone from gypping the city by welshing on the waiver.

jaja007

evicting people with no notice for this reason is completely unacceptable

Really???

Ever heard for Jewish Lightning???

JacqueMehoff

the news showed all the tenants and interviewed the movers. they mentioned how difficult it was finding movers on short notice due to the holiday.

I hope all the tenants get all their stuff out because I have a feeling they won't be getting it back or when they return stuff will be missing.

Was there really a matzoh factory and a religous girl's school in this building?