NewYorkShitty reports that the Sweater Lofts (239 Banker Street) has been issued a vacate order by DOB. Once again, tenants are out on the street while the landlord who created the problem is in the clear.
Normally, I’d more upset for the tenants, but this has always been a case of landlord blatantly flouting the laws for a quick buck. I think there is a big difference between a legitimate live/work loft situation and a situation like this where the landlord was bottom feeding for a fast buck. Unlike the typical loft situation, the landlord converted the building on his own dime and marketed it as residential when he knew that was illegal. Does it suck that innocent tenants are shit out of luck? Absolutely. But this is very different than 475 Kent or 889 Broadway – lofts where the tenants themselves had a lot of time. money and effort invested in the building. This is just a case of a landlord taking advantage of the law and his tenants.
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