475 Kent Tenants to Bloomberg: Let Us Back In!
In the wake of this week’s meeting with the DOB and FDNY, the tenants of 475 Kent Avenue in Williamsburg submitted a written appeal to Mayor Bloomberg today (cc’ing about every pol in town along with the Mayor of London) to let them back into their homes and workspaces. “As the vacate enacted by the…
In the wake of this week’s meeting with the DOB and FDNY, the tenants of 475 Kent Avenue in Williamsburg submitted a written appeal to Mayor Bloomberg today (cc’ing about every pol in town along with the Mayor of London) to let them back into their homes and workspaces. “As the vacate enacted by the FDNY on January 20th drags on, many of us risk bankruptcy and the complete destruction of the businesses and careers we have spent the last decade building at 475 Kent Ave.,” closes the first paragraph of the letter. Full text on the jump.
DOB, FDNY Deliver Bad News to 475 Kent Tenants [Brownstoner]
475 Kent Avenue: How It All Began [Brownstoner] GMAP
Big Showing From Pols at 475 Kent Vigil [Brownstoner]
Closing Bell: Moving Out at 475 Kent Avenue [Brownstoner]
‘Commune of Creative Types’ in the Burg is Emptied Out [Brownstoner]
February 8, 2008
To:
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg
City Hall
New York, NY 10007
Dear Mayor Bloomberg,
The situation for the 200+ tenants of 475 Kent Avenue has become desperate as our livelihoods and businesses are increasingly threatened. Everyday that our work places are shuttered we miss a deadline, lose a client or a contract and fail to make a sale of the goods and services that support our lives. As the vacate enacted by the FDNY on January 20th drags on, many of us risk bankruptcy and the complete destruction of the businesses and careers we have spent the last decade building at 475 Kent Ave.
Whether or not the state of 475 Kent posed immanent threat to human life on the night of January 20th, 2008, it certainly does not today. In fact, our building is safer than most factory buildings in the city. It is of solid fireproof construction, has two means of egress, has working standpipes and Siamese connections, emergency exit lights, fire extinguishers and smoke detectors.
The architectural plans for the building are being filed with the DOB today and the work to rehabilitate the sprinkler system will be underway by next week. We need access to our studios NOW. Upholding the vacate order is unreasonable and is now truly endangering our lives as many of the tenants face financial ruin. What we are headed for now is a real emergency. We have had architectural and fire-safety experts survey our building and they have deemed that it is safe for inhabitants and for fire fighters. Fire Guards are often employed in buildings where sprinkler systems are not in place or are being repaired. We have had Fire-Safety companies report to us that Fire Guards have been used in buildings without working sprinkler systems for up to two years. In case it wasn’t clear, our building is constructed of one-foot thick cast concrete, a non-combustible material.
It is absolutely untenable for us to wait for the completion of work on the sprinkler system to gain access to our studios. Even if this work could be expedited in 3 – 4 weeks (and most estimates put it at 2 – 3 months) we cannot afford to be out of work for a moment longer.
Mayor Bloomberg, we need you to get us back into our studios and back to work NOW. We have architects and fire-safety experts who are willing to file expert opinions regarding the safety of our building. We call on you to do everything in your power to save our businesses and the lives we have built at 475 Kent Avenue.
The Tenants of 475 Kent Avenue
CC:
Kate Levin, Commissioner NYC Department of Cultural Affairs
David Yassky, NY City Council Member
Marty Markowitz, Brooklyn Borough President
Joseph Lentol, NY State Assembly
Vito Lopez, NY State Assembly
Martin Connor, NY State Senator
Hillary Rodham Clinton, Senator NY
Charles Schumer, Senator NY
Barack Obama, Senator IL
Ken Livingston, Mayor of London
The tenants can’t be blamed. Housing shortages in this city are widespread. ANY space with a roof is potential live-work space, think SOHO thirty years ago. These people were not “getting a free ride” nor are they asking for one. They pay market value rent just like everyone else. The landlord cashed their checks, he knew people were living there. That is a legal agreement. If it were not for the ‘illegal bakery’ he would be in court with each canceled check working against him.
At the very least they should have 3 months to re-locate themselves and their possessions. These are people who lost their housing & work spaces I don’t judge what their professions are. I don’t really care what they do. I am shocked at
how ignorant & cold hearted some the responses are. On second thought I am not really…considering the way this city has changed over the past twenty years.
My impression, and what is true of most loft buildings I’ve known is that a few people held the primary lease and sublet to the others at market rents. That is how it is usually done. So those few probably paid next to nothing month-to-month but assumed more of the risk in terms of deposits and initial investment.
Again, I really everyone the best, but this city has a hard enough time enforcing rules for legal residences. When you’re in one that isn’t, you have to realize that you’re signing away your rights. That is why some of us (gasp!) artists never did rent commercial spaces.
Well, that and per square foot they were actually more expensive than residential… which always makes me wonder about these poor artists…
But that is another story.
FYI, no such thing as “rent controlled” anymore after the 70s. We pay market rent for all its worth.
9:00 Kick the man while his down. You are the arrogant one, practicing the holier than thou ‘tude. Biyaatch!
“The people in this building are paying market rents”
No. Wrong again. Sorry if you think it’s “mean” for me to say, but many were rent controlled.
Anyone who is getting away with not paying market rent should be putting the surplus into the bank. When they lose this unfair deal it’ll be more useful than the extra oil paints.
When you live in an illegal space, you are taking the risk (of eviction) along with the reward (of low rents). If you are too dumb to realize that simple fact of life, then I have no sympathy left for you. If you are too arrogant to even admit your role in your own failings and you begin to blame others and demand special treatment, well… then I despise you.
And I really wish Brownstoner would let this die. (Tho’ by posting I guess I am being self-contradictory).
5:26 – Prestige don’t pay rent. Galleries don’t pay shit even if your cute, esp. if you can’t get your facts right. But you’re proud I suppose, to be a peon and sit there like you’re some hot shot. News is, you’re a nobody just like anyone else in the gallery front desk. The same gallery wonn’t care about you nor your art.
amen 7:14
These posts get more assinine by the day. It’s getting to be like Curbed around here
by the way anyone at all no matter what their occupation is losing or fighting llike hell if they have any type of affordable housing in NYC. It doesn’t matter if you own or not. Sooner or later someone will build in front of your big glass condo windows or a developer will dig a foundation carelessly adjacent to your co-op and damage it. No one is immune. They’ll come for you sooner or later. The economy is going down the tubes anyway. Better mend your ways.
amen 7:14
curbed posts get more assinine by the day
by the way anyone at all no matter what their occupation is losing or fighting llike hell if they have any type of affordable housing in NYC. It doesn’t matter if you own or not. Sooner or later someone will build in front of your big glass condo windows or a developer will dig a foundation carelessly adjacent to your co-op and damage it. No one is immune. They’ll come for you sooner or later. The economy is going down the tubes anyway. Better mend your ways.