20 Grand Avenue: It Could Get Ugly
There’s a classic artists-versus-landlord fight brewing at 20 Grand Avenue. For years, the 60,000-square-foot commercially-zoned warehouse has been inhabited by a mix of Pratt students and young creative types in a mutually beneficial don’t-ask-don’t-tell understanding with the landlord. (One couple had their loft profiled in the New York Times a couple of years ago). As…
There’s a classic artists-versus-landlord fight brewing at 20 Grand Avenue. For years, the 60,000-square-foot commercially-zoned warehouse has been inhabited by a mix of Pratt students and young creative types in a mutually beneficial don’t-ask-don’t-tell understanding with the landlord. (One couple had their loft profiled in the New York Times a couple of years ago). As the real estate market has picked up in the area, the tenants claim, the landlord has steadily tried to make the building less liveable (removing laundry facilities, not fixing the elevator in a timely manner, removing heating from common areas) in an effort to force them out; over the past year he has refused to renew leases, but allowed tenants to live on a month-by-month basis. Last week, they received the eviction letter below, in which the landlord formally, and probably not too wisely, recognized them as residential tenants.
Meanwhile, the owner has been trying to get the building’s C of O changed to residential; since the change has not been forthcoming, he’s resorted to trying to sell the units as commercial condos with the marketing pitch, “Own a Grand Home for Your Business.” Wink, wink. The property is listed under “New Home Developments” on the Douglas Elliman site despite their status as commercial condos.
We’re curious about what the market is for commercial condos. Does anyone know how 241 231 Norman Avenue fared? What’s it like trying to get financing for something like this if you’re just a small mom-and-pop business? GMAP P*Shark
No matter what business you wanna start with Joe Torres- be extremely careful. He is a thief. He was our landlord in Greenpoint (sutton street). A nightmare….
So, it’s 20 Grand, 25 Jay and 47 Thames St. and something on richardson st? The tenants in all these buildings should get together.
All have the same situation. Torres/Finkelstein no longer want the current “live /work” tenants in the building and are illegally pressuring people to leave and when that doesn’t work they try to evict them.
Small world. Was just having dinner with some artist friends. One was talking about the bad condition of his building and the other said, “oh, man, have we got you beat. We have the landlord from hell.†Turns out it’s the same guy Joe Torres. Guess he’s a main offender in the bohemian/art scene. Long story short the tenants of 25 Jay have been fighting him for almost a decade. Can’t remember the address of the other building on Richardson St. Just remember them saying it’s hard to Google him cause of the famous Yankee. Different pronunciation, same spelling.
also has a bldng on jay st in dumbo
He mostly has overpriced residential loft buildings in Greenpoint, all the way on Box St — you need to take a bus there after you get off the G at Greenpoint Ave. Nice views of the Pulaski Bridge. That Mets comment was a joke – glad some people got it.
Forgot to ask, anybody know what other buildings this dude owns around town? Maybe he’s got cheap space in some building that isn’t about to become a developer’s wet dream? I’m looking in the $1-1.50/sq ft range.
It wont be a good deal for long. I have a friend in that building. I was thinking about getting into a space over there and then my friend showed me the blog of their tenants union. It’s already ugly. Looks like the hammar’s gonna come down on commercial tenants in about a year. A year lease is all anyone’s getting and pay careful attention to the plans of the developer. Read his letter for yourself. http://20grandalliance.blogspot.com/
As far as artist studio spaces go, 20 Grand is a pretty tough deal to beat at about $1.10/sq ft, private bathroom and T1 access. So as long as you don’t want to poop where you eat…
Jeez, this is New York right? It’s Joe Torre, and he manages the Yankees, not the Mets!