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Today the Post has a story about some residents of 338 Berry Street in Williamsburg, a former noodle factory that many artists moved into in the mid-1990s and who are now fighting off a landlord trying to evict them. Here we go, yo:

Most of the seven-story building is already vacant. All that’s left is 10 large lofts filled with dozens of pioneers who moved to Williamsburg in the mid-1990s, when it was still isolated, crime-ridden and full of factories. They paved the way for the subsequent hipster invasion — which sent property values skyrocketing. Seeing the writing on the wall, the residents of the building’s work-live lofts signed agreements with the previous landlord allowing them to stay until 2011. But in 2010 the state revised the Loft Law — to put such artist-occupied spaces under rent stabilization. The Berry Street tenants claim the legislation supersedes their agreement. But Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Bert Bunyan two weeks ago sided with the current landlord, Mona Gora-Friedman, who wants to show them the door. She finds the artists unpalatable, they claim, because they’re standing in the way of converting the building into luxury condos.

Last time this building was in the news, in 2009, it was because a very respected drummer, Jerry Fuchs, fell to his death after a malfunction with the property’s manual elevator. At the time, the building had code violations out the wazoo.
W’burg Has Art Attack [NY Post]
Site of Drummer’s Fall Lousy with Violations [Brownstoner] GMAP


What's Your Take? Leave a Comment

  1. yeah, the mid 90’s wasn’t exactly pioneering. i can imagine young hipsters bragging about being a regular at the old plan eat thailand. ‘dude, it was like so crazy, the #1 zagat rated thai restaurant in nyc was like a dive, totally bizarre, so edgy back then man’.

    i need some class protection in 2010, the world needs me here!!! i mean, i moved here in like 1995! that was back when you had to dial up the internet, man!! everyone else gets a check from their parents, its not fair!!!! i don’t want to get a job, waaaaaaghhhh

  2. yeah, the mid 90’s wasn’t exactly pioneering. i can imagine young hipsters bragging about being a regular at the old plan eat thailand. ‘dude, it was like so crazy, the #1 zagat rated thai restaurant in nyc was like a dive, totally bizarre, so edgy back then man’.

    i need some class protection in 2010, the world needs me here!!! i mean, i moved here in like 1995! that was back when you had to dial up the internet, man!! everyone else gets a check from their parents, its not fair!!!! i don’t want to get a job, waaaaaaghhhh

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