Greenpoint
Lorven Pharmacy
Culture on the Cheap
New York Shitty Day Starter: Should We Stay Or Should We Go?
Filed under: 11222, Bushwick, Bushwick Brooklyn, East Williamsburg, East Williamsburg Brooklyn, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Wow, WTF
A commenter, hav, writes on March 29, 2012 (regarding this post about 239 Banker Street):
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.
Here’s the deal: while complaints have been placed, this building has most assuredly NOT been vacated. I know this because I saw another person move in March 30th. His (or her) personal effects included the box at top left.
Nonetheless, I perused the Department of Buildings Building Information System anyway.
Nary a Vacate Order was to be found— but there are plenty of complaints!
Let’s go to the latest: 3407084
So now we have to look at Complaint #3403837 for “closure”.
Hmm.
Given all the previous, I find the following missive (as found on the Broadway stop of the G train and thus out of the 33rd City Council District’s— and 239 Banker Street’s— jurisdiction) fascinating to say the least:
Those of you who have questions (as I do) as to why 239 Banker Street has, once again, been allowed to be illegally employed as residential property despite this— or simply have questions about the loft law should make it a point to attend. Be sure to ask our City Councilman why he is conducting a “loft law” workshop outside his own district while you’re at there!
Panel Discussion on the State of the Loft Law
Co-Conductors: Assemblyman Vito Lopez and Steve Levin, City Councilman, 33rd District (which includes 239 Banker Street)
Invited guests: The Department of Buildings & New York City Loft Board
Date: April 24, 2012 at 7:00 p.m.
Location: Our Lady of Pompeii, Community Room
225 Seigel Street
Brooklyn, New York 11206
Otherwise those who find all the previous disconcerting can send Mr. Levin an email via his web page.
New York Shitty Day Starter: Great Moments of Real Estate Hyperbole
(Or: The “Hart” of Greenpoint)
There is real estate insanity and then there is real estate insanity. This apartment, located at the immensely bucolic intersection of Green Street and Manhattan Avenue, has a manifold number of advertisements on Craigslist. But by far this one was the most imaginative (hence why I decided it merited mention). Nothing says “luxury” like a toilet ready, willing and able to do its duty juxtaposed against a tropical paradise (which Greenpoint, my beloved home, is decidedly not). Citing the G train as an enticement is rather dubious as well. The previous having been written, here are the rest.
All these listings are purportedly “by owner”. Damn.
P.S.: Lest any of you, dear readers, are wondering why I was looking at apartment advertisements on Craigslist in this draconian price bracket I’ll tell you. I had the pleasure of bumping into yet another group of people waiting to view “apartments” at 239 Banker Street this weekend! Here’s what one had to say afterward:
Hi Heather. Thanks, again, for the heads up on the shady business at Banker St. today. The apartment had very bad craftsmanship and the only elevator in the building was a scary freight elevator that had a sign stating it was unlawful for any person other than the operator to ride in the elevator…the guy renting out the spaces is named Saul (917-549-XXXX) and he’s got them listed multiple times on craigslist. We’re obviously going to pass on that building but we really loved the area. Do you have any tips/leads on finding an apartment around there? I’d appreciate any help you could offer!
I have tendered my advice to this (incredibly nice) person. If any of you, dear readers, have tips/advice as well please share them via comments or via email at missheather (at) thatgreenpointblog (dot) com. This having been written, it would appear Saul’s advertisements regarding 239 Banker Street have since disappeared into the ether. No worries, I found this…
and this.
Now At 39 Meserole Avenue: The Factory Building
Yes gentle readers, it would appear the place formerly known as the Sweater Factory Lofts is not only continuing its brave endeavor to press a transient hotel into service as residential space, but now it has a new address, new name and these will set you back an additional $700.00 plus a month! The newly christened Factory Lofts listing on Street Easy (as seen above) can be perused by clicking here. Please do take a moment to give this a read. Follows is a sample of the ad copy which awaits your delectation:
The lofts at The FACTORY BUILDING are made for unique individuals. Each loft apartment remains different, and there are endless opportunities to divide, reimagine and design your own personal space. Yes, we’ve thrown in new amenities to make sure that you’re living in modern comfort, but how you decide to live is up to you. These are raw, chic spaces ready for you to make your mark.
Another huge perk of The FACTORY BUILDING lofts is the preservation of old windows from when the building was a factory. Come for a viewing on a bright day. Sunlight pours through the windows and adds a wonderful aura to the spaces. We’ve reinsulated and reinstalled all apartment fixtures, so you get old world ambiance with new improvements.
These words struck me as being eerily familiar. After a little research I discovered why:
It is the same exact ad copy used to pitch the Sweater Factory Lofts in 2009! And of course we all know what came of “old world ambiance meets new improvements” that time around…
Quicklink: Who’s Behind The Blight?
Those of you who have been following this site of late have undoubtedly noticed yours truly’s renewed interest in 239 Banker Street. After seemingly no activity whatsoever for about a year since being vacated by the Department of Buildings it appears to have a resident. For those of you who are wondering, this is not only dangerous but it is also quite illegal.
Needless to say when this was brought to my attention by my buddy over at Brooklyn11211 I found it quite informative. Want to know who is behind a number of derelict construction sites and nondos hereabouts (including 239 Banker Street), gentle readers? Look no further: The Real Deal has the answer! Do take a moment to give this read.
Miss Heather
From The New York Shitty Inbox, Part II: Signs of Life at The Sweater Factory Lofts?
The tipster who took the above photograph writes:
Open? Vacate notices removed and door propped open. There’s even someone shoveling sidewalk out front.
New York Shitty “glass half full” analysis:
At least they are cleaning the sidewalk.
New York Shitty “glass half empty” analysis:
There is still a Vacate Order on this property.
Miss Heather
From The New York Shitty Inbox, Part I: A Question About 467 Troutman
J writes:
Miss Heather:
I’m apologize in advance if I am wasting your time, but you seem like you might be able to shed some light on a certain amount of confusion I have around 467 Troutman.
I’m looking to move into a 3 BR loft in the area and have been shown several decent options. We were recently shown a space in 467 Troutman – I went in with very low expectations resulting from some internet research and a landlord/manager that I (think) I respect telling me the following:
Eeks! 467 troutman st has no certificate of occupancy, same landlord as 260 Moore street + 315 siegel .I don’t recommend living in that particular landlords buildings-besides the dept of building violations the buildings has bedbug issues and shanty build out of the building…Anyway, the space I saw was the nicest I’ve seen so far – kitchen/bathroom seemed relatively new and clean, the hallways clean, the buildout seemed better than most I’ve seen, etc…. the overall vibe seemed good – and the the tenant who currently occupies the space told us she’d been there 4 years and had nothing negative to say about the landlord.
Do you know of any good reason to not live there? My feeling is that the building had issues in the past but things are better now… Am I missing something? It seems like Max Starck and 467 Troutman come up often enough on your website in a negative light… so I thought I’d ask you for your opinion.
Thanks so much for any info you might be able to provide, and thanks for doing what you do. It’s an invaluable resource.
Aside from having walked by 467 Troutman (and knowing that Max Starck) is its owner I know very little about this building. For this reason I am putting your inquiry to my readers, J. This having been written I am familiar with a number of Mr. Starck’s other buildings. For the purposes of this post I am going to narrow my focus to two: the Sweater Factory Lofts and the Greenpoint Hotel. Both are located in Greenpoint.
As you have probably learned by perusing my site, the Sweater Factory Lofts were vacated by the Department of Buildings last year for harboring conditions dangerous to human life. Among the violations cited were uncapped electrical wires and sprinklers being sealed over with sheet rock. A rather appalling fire safety hazard if you ask me. It should also be noted that the space in question (239 Banker Street) was zoned to be a hotel but Mr. Starck and his partner were marketing it as residential property. This may seem trivial but the fact of the matter is there are different safety requirements for transient and residential properties. See where I am going with this?
Now let’s consider the Greenpoint Hotel for a moment. Until fairly recently it was owned by Mr. Starck. The new owner (whom I have met and it should be noted acquired this property at a public auction— it was seized) is spending a lot of money to get this facility back to code. Among the violations being corrected are a sagging wall, an inoperative bathroom and, drum roll please, repairing a number of inoperative sprinkler heads.
These are but two examples be they are enough to establish a pattern of neglect and general disregard for tenant safety. I have little doubt if you were to search his other properties (like 315 Seigel Street, for example) you will find similar such stuff. While I applaud your due diligence for talking to a tenant of 467 Troutman Street I have to go with the landlord/manager on this one: keep away from anything this chap owns.
This having been written does anyone— preferably tenants of Mr. Starck’s properties— have any advice for J? If so please leave them in the comments or email them to me at: missheather (at) thatgreenpointblog (dot) com. All tips/anecdotes will be kept anonymous if you so desire.
Thanks!
Miss Heather
New York Shitty Day Ender: Turn Out The Lights
Filed under: 11222, Bloomblight, Culture War, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic
(Or, 239 Banker Street Revisited)
Today on a lark I decided to swing by 239 Banker Street (formerly known as the Sweater Factory Lofts) to see what’s shaking. I was not disappointed.
After I shot the above photograph a gaggle of hipsters took notice and stopped. One of them (who I would presume to be their leader) initiated contact:
I’m guessing you broke that glass because the landlord ripped you off?
I turned around, pointed to the plywood gracing the entrance and replied:
Like I would live in a place like this? I don’t think so.
There was a pregnant pause and then my new friend told me about how the former tenants of this building were ordered out of the building, screwed out of their security deposits and so on and so forth. Although I know of all of this already I listened attentively as he gave me the whole run-down. After he concluded his speech out rolled the corker: he was one of the tenants vacated from this building! There is undoubtedly a life lesson to be had here, dear readers. I will leave it to you to ascertain what it is. But I digress.
When this gent finished his tale of woe I brought it to his attention that he and his neighbors were not the only people Max and his funky bunch owe money to:
(Insert punchline here.)
Miss Heather
P.S.: In (somewhat) related news it would appear that someone has egged the entrance to the Pencil Factory Lofts.
From The New York Shitty Inbox: Canceled
Filed under: 11211, 11222, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn
Since I wrote this post there has been a great deal of commentary and speculation about Zip112, better known as Zip Hostel. E.g.; is it legal? Well, I have word from someone whose sister was going to stay there this upcoming weekend that it has been shut down. In fact, it would appear almost the entire building has been vacated. T writes:
…I actually got hold of the owner of Zip112 on Monday evening and he assured me everything was OK with them (that they were legal etc.). Now my sister has had an email saying the whole building is getting shut down and canceling all reservations.
So whether they are legal or not, they are closed!
Thanks for the advice – my sister has had to forsake Brooklyn and get a bed in a hostel in the East Village instead. Oh well!
On a lark, Monday afternoon I searched for “vacation rentals” in Greenpoint on Craigslist. What I found was sobering.
Presenting the Dobbin Street Lofts.
As you can see, they’re doing brisk business. Who knew April Fool’s Day was a U.S. holiday? I thought that stopped after George W. Bush left office. But I digress.
Here is a photo of said “loft”. And here is what I found on the Department of Buildings web site.
No Certificate of Occupancy
“COMMERCIAL OFFICES”
Same song, different verse. This is not to suggest there isn’t humor to be found here. There is.
239 Banker Street (AKA: The Sweater Factory Lofts), a “hotel” illegally pressed into service as living space, is clearly visible in the background of their photo showcasing the roof deck of their illegal hostel. Nice.
Miss Heather
P.S.: For more reading/commentary about the debacle at 112 North 6 Street I strongly recommend you read Brooklyn 11211’s follow-up post.
From The New York Shitty Inbox: Greenpoint Lofts Going Rental…
and residential? The latter being the in the true north Brooklyn tradition (READ: illegal living space).
Not only are there “for lease” signs gracing the place formerly known as The Greenpoint Lofts but I have intriguing information from a tipster we’ll call Q. It started like this:
Hey Miss Heather,
My name is Q and I stumbled on your blog during my search for a work/live space. I noticed you had quite a few entries about the place I was considering on 231 Norman…
This raised some serious bells and whistles for yours truly. You see, 231 Norman is by definition (and Certificate of Occupancy) a commercial space. Living is not allowed. I brought this and a number of other concerns to this person’s attention including (but not limited to):
1. The slew of complaints and violations for this property per the Department of Building’s Building Information System…
2. What happened at 239 Banker Street). He/she replied:
…No, the property was not advertised as live/work space. I saw it as a commercial property and I thought it would be possible to convert because the set up of this particular building seems to lend itself to that quite well. On the other hand, I think there is a bit of wink-wink-nod kind of thing going on about the whole live/work set up. I had a pretty big discussion with the realtor about putting in some amenities to make it a work/live set up and he informed me that there are people who have done that in the building. In addition, he didn’t say that my plans to convert the place to make it more “livable” was anything illegal. Of course, if one is to be a cynic, one could say that he is just eager to make a sale…
If 239 Banker has taught a number of unfortunate folks (and yours truly) an unpleasant lesson it is this: exercise due diligence. Do not take a broker’s word as gospel. This is not to suggest there are not reputable, ethical, dedicated brokers out there. There are— but there are many who are not. Especially in these lean economic times.
It goes without saying that if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Trust your instincts and do not fool yourself into thinking that illegal conversions (even if given a blind eye by the developer and/or the real estate agents who represent his/her) cannot or will not effect you.
They can and will. The last I heard the residents of 239 Banker Street have yet to get back their deposit money. There’s a distinct possibility they never will. Don’t become a statistic.
Miss Heather
New York Shitty Day Ender: All Apologies
Filed under: 11222, 11237, Asshole, Bloomblight, Bushwick, Dog Shit, Dung of the Day, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Other Shit
From 239 Banker Street.*
Miss Heather
P.S.: Those of you who are wondering about 718-STANDUP’s provenance you can see it here. I suppose Max was a supporter of Isaac Abraham for the 33rd City Council District.
*Formerly known as the Sweater Factory Lofts.
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