According to residents of the mixed-use building at 396-400 South Second Street in Williamsburg, the fire department arrived yesterday morning to inspect the building and later, along with representatives from the Department of Buildings, declared the site unfit for habitation and ordered the building vacated. This five-story brick structure, classed as a factory/industrial space with no certificate of occupancy on file, housed as many as 20 residential units as well as several businesses. Some residents have lived in the building over five years and expressed fears that 400 South Second Street would become another 889 Broadway—another building vacated by the DOB where residents were padlocked out of their apartments. One woman, in tears, said: “I have three cats. What am I going to do?” The DOB said that residents could still enter and exit the building, but it would have to consider further action if it found evidence of people continuing to live there. The fire department appeared again at the building last night around 8 p.m. to enforce the mandate; at the time several residents were packing their belongings to move out permanently, while others were simply gathering their essentials, hoping that they will be able to return to their homes. The fire department issued several violations against the building, such as its lack of proper fire escapes, illegal room partitions, hazardous gas lines, and exposed boilers and heating systems. A representative of the DOB at the site told Brownstoner that the building would have to be brought into compliance before anyone could live there. One commercial renter at the building, a man who helps manage the site for owner Issac Dahan, thought that residents might be able to move back in as soon as Monday, however; he believed that this was a bureaucratic outburst against Mr. Dahan due to unfiled permits. The occupants have an official meeting with the DOB this morning, where, hopefully, the fate of the building will become clear. GMAP P*Shark DOB
Eviction at 889 Broadway Ruffling Feathers [Brownstoner]