From The New York Shitty Inbox, Part III: Gratitude

March 26, 2012 by
Filed under: 11222, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic 

A personal we’ll call “D” writes:

Hi Miss Heather,

Thanks to your coverage I was able to avoid renting at 239 Banker. I was very close to moving in when I saw your posts. So after some savvy DOB research and a couple calls I decided it was not worth it. These folks are shady! Here are some bullet points as to why.

1. On the phone they had me meet at another location instead of giving the address. None of the advertisements for this place show the address anymore. Because it’s not a legal building.

2. They are advertising 2-3 bedrooms but even if the building were legal the spaces cannot be legally be divided up to be more than 1 bedroom without a window in each.

3. They say they will build out the space for move in, but there is no toilet, no heat, no stove, no appliances, the windows are unsealed, the doors don’t have locks, floors unfinished. Getting all that work done in a couple weeks is doubtful. Finishing floors alone can take a week with all the fumes and dust.

4. The place is full of unfinished apartments. Who wants to live in a construction zone? Not me.

Don’t get me wrong. We all know folks who inhabit work lofts with a wink-wink nudge-nudge agreement. And I’m okay with that. But this is masquerading as an apartment conversion and charging near market rates. I don’t want these people to end up on the street all over again!

Take care

xo

Thanks for the kind words, D! On a lark I headed over to Craigslist (which is apparently where a number of advertisements for this space are to be found) to see what’s shaking. Follows is one I found:

As you can see this place is apparently for rent by owner. Fascinating. Those of you who desire to do so can view this advertisement by clicking here.

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Comments

12 Comments on From The New York Shitty Inbox, Part III: Gratitude

  1. a neighbor on Mon, 26th Mar 2012 7:24 pm

    2. There are A LOT of people living there. Windows open, plants in windows, I see people walk out of the building every single morning. I did note that they’re putting them in the other half of the building (the one closer to the former Studio B) rather than in the half of the building closer to Meserole.

    Another year, another group of kids who lose their deposits & get evicted

  2. missheather on Mon, 26th Mar 2012 7:47 pm

    3. It’s not just kids this time around. I have met at least two families (with young children) who almost got rooked. These are people who want to live here due to the fact Greenpoint is a wonderful community and its schools are among the best in the city— not because it was (is) cool, hip, has great bars, etc. Sickening.

  3. kayley1217 on Tue, 27th Mar 2012 3:41 pm

    4. Hey Guys,

    I went to see this apartment, and points 2, 3, and 4 I disagree with. This is a brand new building, and each of the anticipated bedrooms would have a window in them. The lofts are brand new (which would explain why a lot are available), and I saw some families and young people living in them. It was a pretty sick location with an incredible view. Plus, for $800 per person, you would be getting an amazing deal.

    As for not giving out the address – most real estate agents make you meet them at an intersection (I’ve apartment hunted wide and far throughout NYC).

    As for the building not being legal, I don’t know anything about that.

    I opted out of the apartments since the rooms would end up being pretty small (you would have to loft your bed if you were going to fit 3 people), but it could be a killer space for three kids in the summer.

    Best,
    Kayley

  4. Sweater Factory Renting Under Radar: The Sweater Factory building still isn’t… - The Broker Buddy on Tue, 27th Mar 2012 4:11 pm

    5. […] The Sweater Factory building still isn’t zoned for residential dwelling, but that’s not … “We all know folks who inhabit work lofts with a wink-wink nudge-nudge agreement. And I’m okay with that. But this is masquerading as an apartment conversion and charging near market rates,” writes one almost-burned renter to Miss Heather. [NYShitty; previously] Monthly Archive […]

  5. Sweater Factory Renting Under Radar: The Sweater Factory building still isn’t… | Text or Call : 917-557-6066 on Tue, 27th Mar 2012 5:12 pm

    6. […] The Sweater Factory building still isn’t zoned for residential dwelling, but that’s not … “We all know folks who inhabit work lofts with a wink-wink nudge-nudge agreement. And I’m okay with that. But this is masquerading as an apartment conversion and charging near market rates,” writes one almost-burned renter to Miss Heather. [NYShitty; previously] […]

  6. Shadiness Continues at Greenpoint’s 239 Banker – insiderater.com on Wed, 28th Mar 2012 1:39 am

    7. […] approved for residential use. (There have actually been multiple forced evacuations.) Well, the latest report on 239 Banker as of yesterday comes from one of her readers, who emailed her after making an appointment to see one of the apartments in the building […]

  7. hav on Thu, 29th Mar 2012 6:53 pm

    8. non-surprisingly someone decided to complain to the DOB which ordered the building to vacate yesterday. As of today there are some interesting developments but nothing solidified yet. It is however looking like the building has a strong possibility of getting covered by the NYC Loft Law which will protect tenants from being vacated.

  8. missheather on Fri, 30th Mar 2012 8:03 am

    9. Interesting…

  9. bklynliz on Sun, 1st Apr 2012 12:16 am

    10. I live behind this building and have since the first round of kids tried living there…

    Construction at all hours of the night…the place has always seemed shady. I’d be surprised if these folk are allowed to stay.

    There’s a party going on right now. I can hear the loud drunk conversations in the depths of my apartment. I mean, I’m glad people are having a good time, but I’m flippin tired. I’m semi-thinking of investing in a paintball gun and night vision goggles this summer, when they use the lower roof as an illegal party deck. (Not really, because I know it’s illegal, but a gal can dream!)

  10. a neighbor on Mon, 2nd Apr 2012 7:29 pm

    11. There is NO WAY this building qualifies under the Loft Law. Specifically:

    There were three or more residential tenants living in separate apartments in the building in the 20-month period between April 1, 1980, and December 1, 1981 (the “statutory window period”).

    ==
    Nice try, whatever broker is trying to make sure people don’t get scared away from the building.

  11. TomJ on Wed, 4th Apr 2012 1:55 pm

    12. I live in 239 Banker and lived in many similar loft buildings for the past 12 years without a problem. It is the perfect loft, in the most perfect area….I love it! The building has a full sprinkler system and no egress issue or hazard for tenants at all.

  12. missheather on Thu, 5th Apr 2012 11:09 am

    13. Be that as it may, employing this building as residential space— and representing it as such— is most assuredly illegal.

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