Mr. Boyd and Mr. Economakis live in a building at war, a century-old five-story tenement torn by the peculiarities of New York real estate. Mr. Economakis is the landlord, and since 2003 has been trying to convert the building’s 15 rent-stabilized apartments into an 11,000-square-foot home for himself, his wife, their two children and a British bulldog named Leo. Mr. Boyd is one of nine remaining tenants, who pay $675 to $1,200 per month for one-bedroom apartments; his is on the third floor, sandwiched between spaces that the Economakis family currently occupies.Landlord’s Dream Confronts Rent-Stabilized Lives
“Once we realized we wanted to make this building our home, nothing else compared,” said Mrs. Economakis, 36, who, along with her husband, works for her father’s company, Granite International Management, which manages about a dozen apartment buildings in Manhattan and Brooklyn. “I love this building, and I love this neighborhood.”
Part of the charm, she said, is that the block includes the Hells Angels headquarters and Maryhouse, one of the city’s most enduring Roman Catholic missions for the homeless.
But the tenants contend that the home the Economakis family envisions is exactly what threatens the character of the neighborhood they claim to love. They see the Economakises as the embodiment of heartless gentrification, an extension of the Chase Bank branch that recently replaced the nearby Second Avenue Deli, members of the latte class with no concern for the working-class tradition of the neighborhood.
Behind the fancier windows are the owners’ quarters: Most of the building’s second floor has been remodeled into an open kitchen, living and dining space; an internal staircase leads down to a playroom and nanny’s room, or up to the couple’s bedroom and an adjacent one shared by their sons, ages 2 and 4. To get to their other space — a duplex that doubles as an office and accommodations for the Greek relatives who frequently visit — the family must go through the common hallway, with its peeling paint, old tin-plated adornments and cracking tile.
15 comments:
I attended a very large rally for these hard-working, long-time tenants. They did everything they could to raise money to fight for their homes and neighborhood, including bake sales, yard sale, etc.
When a young woman started to pass out the landlord's propaganda, it was another landlord who jumped her. She was third generation growing up there. She had enough sense to know they also want her building and also a real human being who said she had a 92 year old tenant and couldn't imagine wanting to push her out
Fight for their homes?? They rent apartments, and now the OWNER wants to live there, where's the problem?
Another greedy Greek....a wanna bee Alexander the Great!
"Fight for their homes?? They rent apartments, and now the OWNER wants to live there, where's the problem?"
The owner doesn't need the entire building to be empty in order to live there. This is part of the reason there is a housing shortage in this city. Even if that family just takes over an entire floor, you're saying they can't live comfortably there? Hey, why don't I try that famous line that the trolls always use here. "if they want a lot of space, why don't they move to the suburbs, this is a thriving metropolis!"
>>>Part of the charm, she said, is that the block includes the Hells Angels headquarters and Maryhouse, one of the city’s most enduring Roman Catholic missions for the homeless.<<<
That's a liability for anything other than a liberal Manhattanite, but I understand the principle.
www.forgotten-ny.com
Where are those feaking affordable housing freaks.
Oh yes, only massive new housing is on their agenda.
What do you expect - they are financed by developers and politicians.
Where is City Lore? Where is HDC? Where is Pratt? Where is Hunter College? Where is MAS?
Where is the preservation movement?
"Another greedy Greek....a wanna bee Alexander the Great!"
Racist!!
Get over it. Greeks aren't the root of all evils in this city. This is a wealthy family that wants to live in their own home, in the neighborhood they love. They have EVERY right to be there. It is there building more than it is the renters, they have their rights too.
"Where is City Lore? Where is HDC? Where is Pratt? Where is Hunter College? Where is MAS?
Where is the preservation movement?"
It is not needed here. They are not tearing down the house and building a glass structure. The building will look the same, but will just be a single family home instead of an apartment building. Kudos to them.
It is not needed here. They are not tearing down the house and building a glass structure. The building will look the same, but will just be a single family home instead of an apartment building. Kudos to them.
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A city is more than bricks and mortor, and a community is more than rich and 'staff'.
And yes, the dig about Greeks are apt. Take a look at Astoria, and take a look at what they build.
Unless you are from their little insular community, you just dont count.
Maybe instead of renting for all these years and spending money on fighting the OWNER of the property, these people could have been saving what ever they could, like my wife and I did, and bought something. They have been lucky they were in a rent control apartment and not pay fair market price. I lived in Brooklyn for over a decade, and when I realized that I was being pushed out, I save everything I could and moved to mover affordable place and bought. They don't own the land or the building.
We housing feaks(?) were there along with all the neighborhood. Where were you? Busy looking down your nose at everyone?
Did I say Greek...I meant Geek...a slip of my "racist" finger on the keyboard!
FU where you breathe!
Yeah, that's right, the tenants were spending all of their money buying trinkets at Harry Winston instead of saving their money to buy a building, because, of course, every single person in NYC has a well paying job, helpful parents, health insurance and a carefree life. I love the "let them eat cake" attitude of those who know absolutely nothing about anyone's situation other than their own.
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