DOB Vacates 400 South Second
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…
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]
soooo tired of law breakers expecting sympathy. you rent an INDUSTRIAL?? space an attempt to live there – you are a CRIMINAL.
another day, another story of people with zero morals/ethics in NYC.
I think you guys see more than is actually there. Is the dob disorganized? Of course it is. Name one well organized municipal agency. Are there corrupt employees? Of course there are, there are also corrupt cops, teachers and even corrupt garbage men. Are they vacating buildings for fun? No.
I’m not particularly a fan, but I don’t like when folks decide to hate an entity outright, especially when the subject of ire is finally doing something.
Wasder, how did dob harass you? Did inspector ask for a bribe? If so, did you file a complaint against inspector?
Wasder, I visited the DOB a few years ago to pick up some papers when I bought my house. I’ve never been surrounded by more hustlers and wise guys at one time than were in that room, and I’m from East New York. If you’re planning an expose, go for it. Just be prepared to battle an entrenched culture of corruption.
Hell – I don’t even know if the apt I’m living in now has a C of O.
I don’t know if the tenants knew or not. I know the landlord did.
Not everyone looking for apts in NYC is aware of zoning laws.
ENY—being a first time home owner I am just now catching up to this phenomenon. And now that I have been personally harassed by them it makes me want to blow their cover.
“there is something drastically not right going on at DOB”
Wasder, that may be the understatement of the decade. It’s no surprise at all to anyone who’s been paying attention.
I think some of you are talking both sides of mouth. criticize the DOB for not enforcing, then criticize them for enforcing. So matter what they do is wrong thing.
I been in relationships like that.
I want to do an expose on the DOB. Not that this particular case has anything fishy to it but there is something drastically not right going on at DOB and being a documentary film-maker I want to get to the bottom of it. They are corrupt, disorganized, nasty and somebody needs to shine a light on it. Anyone else agree?