City Issues Stop Work Order, Partial Vacate at Carroll Gardens Mixed-Use Building

When we passed by German bar and restaurant Brooklyn Buschenschank at 320 Court Street in Carroll Gardens last week, everything seemed to be business as usual although the DOB issued a partial vacate order and stop work order for the address August 23. Pardon Me For Asking was the first to report on what happened: While renovation work was taking place on the second floor, neighbors reported that the building “was shaking and vibrating.” After checking it out, the DOB issued a stop work order and a partial vacate order on August 23.

“The inspectors determined that the second floor had been illegally gutted and that major steel support beams had been removed,” said PMFA. The partial vacate order apparently applies only to the upper floor or floors, since the removal of the support beams threatens the stability of the third floor and “access to the fire escape was blocked on that floor” when inspectors came by, PMFA said.

An alt-2 permit has since been filed to remove the obstruction of the exit on the third floor and non structural columns and walls, and it was approved August 30. The stop work order and partial vacate order remain in effect.

Owner James McGown has owned at least six businesses that have filed for Chapter 11 since 2009, according to Crain’s, including South Brooklyn Pizza, which has a location at 320 Court, and P.J. Hanley’s, Brooklyn’s oldest bar, which closed in March. Last month, McGown opened Goldenrod in the same space.

Court Street Building Hit With Partial Vacate and Stop Work Orders [PMFA] GMAP