475 Kent Avenue
March 30, 2008 10:32 AM Subscribe
On January 21st, 2008 in the quaint borough of Brooklyn, in the neighborhood of Williamsburg, 200+ people were vacated from their apartments by the Fire Department of New York City. This morning the New York Times' City Section ran a story on the travails of a couple who's photography equipment was crushed by a ton of chopsticks at a storage magazine they were forced into as a result of the vacate order. It should be duly noted at this point that 475 was vacated because the FDNY discovered two grain silos being used by a matzoh factory in the cellar. It would all be rather comical if so many households hadn't been uprooted.
I have no doubt, as building code and zoning consultant in NYC, that it can be legalized. Though the time required to get it done, legally, is more than most tenants have to bide. That and the fact that the "creative community" that will be forced to disband under the Zoning Resolution.
This post was deleted for the following reason: this is looking more and more like you are in some way involved with the main blog posted here. This is something you sort of need to not do here. -- jessamyn
I know this makes me a bad person, but damn...the Schadenfreude is just unbearable. Especially considering all the lower-income families that were driven out by gentrification.
posted by nasreddin at 10:50 AM on March 30, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by nasreddin at 10:50 AM on March 30, 2008 [1 favorite]
A potentially explosive situation, of course.
Yep ... and moreso:
Yep ... and moreso:
[The local city councilman, David Yassky]....acknowledged that some violations at the loft building constituted 'a firetrap.'posted by ericb at 10:58 AM on March 30, 2008
The hazards, city officials said, included the unauthorized basement bakery, with piles of coal, wood, empty cardboard boxes and large containers of combustible grain. Other violations, they said, included blocked exits, cracked windows, and unauthorized alterations.
The adjoining building was cited for inoperable sprinklers, cracks in the exterior wall and unauthorized alterations." *
three blind mice: A potentially explosive situation, of course.
I thought you were joking, but it turns out that grain dust can and does explode [wikipedia link].
Also, it's weird and more than a little sad to think that so many of our historical moments are captured on grains of silver nitrate embedded in gelatin and that so many things can easily destroy them.
posted by heeeraldo at 10:59 AM on March 30, 2008
I thought you were joking, but it turns out that grain dust can and does explode [wikipedia link].
Also, it's weird and more than a little sad to think that so many of our historical moments are captured on grains of silver nitrate embedded in gelatin and that so many things can easily destroy them.
posted by heeeraldo at 10:59 AM on March 30, 2008
Especially considering all the lower-income families that were driven out by gentrification.
Doesn't appear that this was a "gentrified" building. "[T]he the building [is] zoned as commercial....it would be a shame to see this building sitting vacant, demolished, or converted into million dollar condos." *
posted by ericb at 11:03 AM on March 30, 2008
Doesn't appear that this was a "gentrified" building. "[T]he the building [is] zoned as commercial....it would be a shame to see this building sitting vacant, demolished, or converted into million dollar condos." *
posted by ericb at 11:03 AM on March 30, 2008
How does this qualify as best of the web?
posted by Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese at 11:03 AM on March 30, 2008
posted by Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese at 11:03 AM on March 30, 2008
...grain dust can and does explode
Piles of coal (which was also found in the building) can also spontaneously combust.
posted by ericb at 11:05 AM on March 30, 2008
Piles of coal (which was also found in the building) can also spontaneously combust.
posted by ericb at 11:05 AM on March 30, 2008
Doesn't appear that this was a "gentrified" building. "[T]he the building [is] zoned as commercial....it would be a shame to see this building sitting vacant, demolished, or converted into million dollar condos." *
"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."
Pretty standard hipster apartments. This is how gentrification generally works in Brooklyn: the prices go way up, but the buildings and infrastructure don't get any better, and then the condos come in.
posted by nasreddin at 11:07 AM on March 30, 2008
I don't think this FPP really lays out the issues at 475 Kent. From what I gather there was some question in the begining that this was a ploy by the owner to get the residents out and convert this to condos. Local pols and artist residents have held rallies. The owner has agreed to get the building brought up to code. Residents are expected to move back in sometime in April. Seems like happy ending here to the story of artists live in illegal apartment firetraps without rent control; neighborhood gentrifies. Someone calls the Fire Departmant on obvious code violations. Building is fixed, and many residents get to return after a few months of disruption.
posted by humanfont at 11:10 AM on March 30, 2008
posted by humanfont at 11:10 AM on March 30, 2008
I understand how difficult it is to be uprooted, but to live in a building that has such awful code violations is, well, dangerous. In the end, these people may be very lucky indeed. It would have been a shame to say, "Oh, it could have been prevented so easily if only those exits weren't blocked" I'm sure that many said that about the Triangle Shirtwaist fires too and those pointless deaths could have been somewhat prevented.
posted by Holy foxy moxie batman! at 11:36 AM on March 30, 2008
posted by Holy foxy moxie batman! at 11:36 AM on March 30, 2008
How does this qualify as best of the web?
"Crushed by a ton of chopsticks", is pretty damn good, though "crushed by a ton of bacon" would be even better. Crushed by a ton of Nutty Buddies, Truck Nuts, or Oozinators would be absolutely fucking supreme.
posted by Tube at 11:37 AM on March 30, 2008 [2 favorites]
"Crushed by a ton of chopsticks", is pretty damn good, though "crushed by a ton of bacon" would be even better. Crushed by a ton of Nutty Buddies, Truck Nuts, or Oozinators would be absolutely fucking supreme.
posted by Tube at 11:37 AM on March 30, 2008 [2 favorites]
How does this qualify as best of the web?
How is it im getting tried of this. Ya know while some things that go by are crappy and dubious, i cant find anything in the mefi docs about 'best of the web'
Might I suggest you make your own site with yourself as the story moderator?
posted by MrLint at 11:47 AM on March 30, 2008 [1 favorite]
How is it im getting tried of this. Ya know while some things that go by are crappy and dubious, i cant find anything in the mefi docs about 'best of the web'
Might I suggest you make your own site with yourself as the story moderator?
posted by MrLint at 11:47 AM on March 30, 2008 [1 favorite]
I have a friend who lived in that building a few years ago, and I crashed there when visiting NYC a couple of times. At least when I visited, it was not a gentrifying crowd.
posted by adamrice at 11:54 AM on March 30, 2008
posted by adamrice at 11:54 AM on March 30, 2008
in the quaint borough of Brooklyn
quaint, Brooklyn ain't.
posted by brain_drain at 12:01 PM on March 30, 2008 [1 favorite]
quaint, Brooklyn ain't.
posted by brain_drain at 12:01 PM on March 30, 2008 [1 favorite]
Other than the poster's joined date, it smells like an boring ax-grindy NYC self-link to me.
Might I suggest MrLint heal thyself?
posted by BeerFilter at 12:10 PM on March 30, 2008
Might I suggest MrLint heal thyself?
posted by BeerFilter at 12:10 PM on March 30, 2008
Just some background on the building: it is, one could argue, gentrified. A lot of 20 and 30 something creative types. Of course there are other constituents not fitting the mold. I know gentrification is a stigma, but at the end of the day it's the force that sustains the vibrant urbanity a lot of people seek out. The East Village was the new Soho; the Lower East Side the new East Village; Williamsburg the new LES; Bushwick then new 'burg and so on. Mmmm...gentrification.
It's in an old code commercial legal to be occupied as a warehouse and for manufacturing 'metal parts'. It's in south Williamsburg directly across the East River from the Lower East Side; it's a predominantly Hasidic Jewish community, but mixes on its northern border with a strong Latin quarter.
My point was that it's going to take so much time (low ball 9 months from today) to get back in, coupled with the fact that zoning won't allow the small businesses to be intermingled with the residences, that a commune of sorts is gone--forever. I guess it's similar to a lot of the obituaries you read on MeFi.
posted by Ebray at 12:10 PM on March 30, 2008
It's in an old code commercial legal to be occupied as a warehouse and for manufacturing 'metal parts'. It's in south Williamsburg directly across the East River from the Lower East Side; it's a predominantly Hasidic Jewish community, but mixes on its northern border with a strong Latin quarter.
My point was that it's going to take so much time (low ball 9 months from today) to get back in, coupled with the fact that zoning won't allow the small businesses to be intermingled with the residences, that a commune of sorts is gone--forever. I guess it's similar to a lot of the obituaries you read on MeFi.
posted by Ebray at 12:10 PM on March 30, 2008
Quibbling over what does or doesn't count as gentrification seems beside the point.
1) It sucks to lose your apartment because your landlord screwed up, even temporarily. I feel bad for these people, regardless of anyone's race, class, income or whatever.
2) This sort of thing happens all over the place all the time. Aside from the quirky details (chopsticks! matzos!) there's nothing special here. This is a pretty half-assed FPP, regardless of anyone's race, class, income or whatever.
posted by nebulawindphone at 12:26 PM on March 30, 2008
1) It sucks to lose your apartment because your landlord screwed up, even temporarily. I feel bad for these people, regardless of anyone's race, class, income or whatever.
2) This sort of thing happens all over the place all the time. Aside from the quirky details (chopsticks! matzos!) there's nothing special here. This is a pretty half-assed FPP, regardless of anyone's race, class, income or whatever.
posted by nebulawindphone at 12:26 PM on March 30, 2008
475 was not a pillar of gentrification.
for that, look at the huge tower of condos that was built across the street, where the Shaeffer brewery used to be.
so you can snicker all you want about people getting their desserts, but your justification doesn't hold up under anything but a cursory glance.
I live a few blocks from this building, and can see the building from the roof, but there's more than 6 brand spanking new superstructures between myself and this building, and between them all there's nothing more than a trace element of character.
this isn't good for anyone.
posted by Busithoth at 12:27 PM on March 30, 2008
for that, look at the huge tower of condos that was built across the street, where the Shaeffer brewery used to be.
so you can snicker all you want about people getting their desserts, but your justification doesn't hold up under anything but a cursory glance.
I live a few blocks from this building, and can see the building from the roof, but there's more than 6 brand spanking new superstructures between myself and this building, and between them all there's nothing more than a trace element of character.
this isn't good for anyone.
posted by Busithoth at 12:27 PM on March 30, 2008
re: gentrification
Please point out where it's enumerated that people have the right to live anywhere they want to.
posted by oaf at 1:08 PM on March 30, 2008
Please point out where it's enumerated that people have the right to live anywhere they want to.
posted by oaf at 1:08 PM on March 30, 2008
This is a pretty local story that has long roots in the community as an example of some of what's going on, but is not a whole, whole lot else.
I've thought about making a lot of posts about the changing face of the North Brooklyn waterfront, as it is a huge transformation of a relatively small area. Some of the change is good, some totally mediocre, some flat out bad, but I could never find a way to widen the scope of the issue to make it relevant to anyone not actually there.
Maybe a better way to frame the FPP would be to focus on one of the ocupants, say Eve Sussmann. And then talk about where she lived, 475 Kent Ave., a big, shitty-looking building on a shitty block at the ass-end of almost everything...
posted by From Bklyn at 1:09 PM on March 30, 2008
I've thought about making a lot of posts about the changing face of the North Brooklyn waterfront, as it is a huge transformation of a relatively small area. Some of the change is good, some totally mediocre, some flat out bad, but I could never find a way to widen the scope of the issue to make it relevant to anyone not actually there.
Maybe a better way to frame the FPP would be to focus on one of the ocupants, say Eve Sussmann. And then talk about where she lived, 475 Kent Ave., a big, shitty-looking building on a shitty block at the ass-end of almost everything...
posted by From Bklyn at 1:09 PM on March 30, 2008
To chime in on what nebulawindphone said, this story isn't about W-burg gentrification - it's about what happens when shitty landlords don't do their jobs and the tenants have to deal with the fallout. Ho many of us renters know the zoning specifics of our domiciles? I sure don’t. I feel sorry for these people.
I live a few blocks away from this building as well, and like Busithoth said, the Kent building is a different breed than the surrounding McCondos. Having said that, I’m getting really sick and tired of the clichéd cursory observations among whites who move into neighborhoods like Williamsburg and then begin bemoaning gentrification after they’ve contributed to gentrifying it. Here’s a wake-up call: you ARE gentrification. This seems to be the one nugget of irony that 90% of Williamsburg hipsters fail to recognize.
posted by tiger yang at 1:29 PM on March 30, 2008 [2 favorites]
Please point out where it's enumerated that people have the right to live anywhere they want to.
Equal protection under the law means that just because you are poor or a minority you shouldn't get second rate run down schools, no one fixing the swings at the park, and drug dealers operating in the open. It means that this shouldn't all change because a few yuppies looking for an urban hipness vibe move into the neighborhood, or a developer starts greasing the wheels at city hall. People have a right to be safe in their homes where ever they live, regardless of their skin color or income. They shouldn't be ignored as pushy black people, poor white trash, greasy italians, gay artists, or whatever for years, and then watch a couple of affluent white professionals move in and suddenly it all changes. Gentrification is fundementally a violation of every goddamned thing the constitution is supposed to protect, life liberty, pursuit of happiness. Just because you have a million dollar condo doesn't entitle you to some greater protection or level of services from the state. I can't stand the rich bastards and their smug yuppie sense of entitlement. Whah whah whah give me free music for my ipod, and cut my taxes. Clean up my streets. Get these poor poeple out of here. I can't be bothered to ride the bus, I need a trolley, or a metro, or a twenty story parking garage for my giant SUV. The freaking rich people in this country need to be taken off of welfare and forced to work for the services they get.
posted by humanfont at 1:37 PM on March 30, 2008
Equal protection under the law means that just because you are poor or a minority you shouldn't get second rate run down schools, no one fixing the swings at the park, and drug dealers operating in the open. It means that this shouldn't all change because a few yuppies looking for an urban hipness vibe move into the neighborhood, or a developer starts greasing the wheels at city hall. People have a right to be safe in their homes where ever they live, regardless of their skin color or income. They shouldn't be ignored as pushy black people, poor white trash, greasy italians, gay artists, or whatever for years, and then watch a couple of affluent white professionals move in and suddenly it all changes. Gentrification is fundementally a violation of every goddamned thing the constitution is supposed to protect, life liberty, pursuit of happiness. Just because you have a million dollar condo doesn't entitle you to some greater protection or level of services from the state. I can't stand the rich bastards and their smug yuppie sense of entitlement. Whah whah whah give me free music for my ipod, and cut my taxes. Clean up my streets. Get these poor poeple out of here. I can't be bothered to ride the bus, I need a trolley, or a metro, or a twenty story parking garage for my giant SUV. The freaking rich people in this country need to be taken off of welfare and forced to work for the services they get.
posted by humanfont at 1:37 PM on March 30, 2008
humanfont, aren't you basically complaining that the problem with gentrification is that it helps bring the quality and availability of local services up to the level that it should have had in the first place?
posted by deanc at 2:08 PM on March 30, 2008
posted by deanc at 2:08 PM on March 30, 2008
This might be interesting if you live in New York. Or maybe not even then.
posted by puke & cry at 2:24 PM on March 30, 2008
posted by puke & cry at 2:24 PM on March 30, 2008
People have a right to be safe in their homes where ever they live, regardless of their skin color or income.
This does not mean that they have the right to pay whatever they like for their homes.
That's the only sentence in your entire comment that even begins to address what I said above. The rest of it is a tangential rant.
posted by oaf at 2:37 PM on March 30, 2008
This does not mean that they have the right to pay whatever they like for their homes.
That's the only sentence in your entire comment that even begins to address what I said above. The rest of it is a tangential rant.
posted by oaf at 2:37 PM on March 30, 2008
Gentrification doesn't bring services to people; gentrification brings services to geographic areas. Most of the orginal residents are displaced, and forced to find somewhere else to be poor and underserviced.
posted by humanfont at 2:39 PM on March 30, 2008
posted by humanfont at 2:39 PM on March 30, 2008
OK, I'm going to agree with BeerFilter - this is self-linky smelling. Ebray has made 3 completely pro forma comments today, then this post. I flagged, and was going to move on, but decided to poke around instead.
According to his profile, Ebray is Evan Bray. Evan Bray commented on an unrelated post on Gothamist saying he is a building and zoning consultant for an NYC real estate group. On the 475kent site linked in the post, there is a forum. You have to register to view the full forum, but if you do, you'll find comments from a guy named Evan who "advise(s) on building code, zoning matters" who has a friend who lives in the building. Ebray, if this is all you, I'm going to suggest that you're a bit close to the issue to judge whether this is a quality post, which it isn't. If it's not all you, I apologize for saying you smell like a self-linker.
posted by donnagirl at 3:07 PM on March 30, 2008 [1 favorite]
According to his profile, Ebray is Evan Bray. Evan Bray commented on an unrelated post on Gothamist saying he is a building and zoning consultant for an NYC real estate group. On the 475kent site linked in the post, there is a forum. You have to register to view the full forum, but if you do, you'll find comments from a guy named Evan who "advise(s) on building code, zoning matters" who has a friend who lives in the building. Ebray, if this is all you, I'm going to suggest that you're a bit close to the issue to judge whether this is a quality post, which it isn't. If it's not all you, I apologize for saying you smell like a self-linker.
posted by donnagirl at 3:07 PM on March 30, 2008 [1 favorite]
This kind of post makes it pretty obvious the poster has a vested interest in the subject. Whether Ebray runs 475kent or just posts there, this post stinks.
posted by puke & cry at 3:29 PM on March 30, 2008
posted by puke & cry at 3:29 PM on March 30, 2008
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A potentially explosive situation, of course.
posted by three blind mice at 10:44 AM on March 30, 2008