Closing Bell: City Closes Longtime Ft. Greene Biz
Last week Fort Greene-Clinton Hill Patch reported that the DOB had shut down F+S Tires, which has been on the corner of Fulton and South Oxford for 26 years, because it didn’t have an appropriate Certificate of Occupancy and had racked up around $25,000 in fines. Today Councilwoman Tish James sent out a press release…
Last week Fort Greene-Clinton Hill Patch reported that the DOB had shut down F+S Tires, which has been on the corner of Fulton and South Oxford for 26 years, because it didn’t have an appropriate Certificate of Occupancy and had racked up around $25,000 in fines. Today Councilwoman Tish James sent out a press release saying saying she was in support of F+S’s owners, who “arrived before the recent renaissance” in the area and are now “struggling for survival amid specialty food shops, real estate offices and boutiques.” A hearing about the violations is scheduled for the middle of next month. GMAP
Ft. Greene is on it’s way out and everybody knows it. The unculturization of this once diverse community is almost complete. We’ll be left with a boring, white, sanitized, community (welcome to Hoboken II. An uninteresting enclave to avoid). J&S Tires, like so many other businesses forced out are just preliminary victims. The real victims are the home buyers. Ft. Greene was presented as this artsy, diverse and friendly community (and it sold!). It’s evolved into a white, hoky, uncultured place to skip (on your way to what’s interesting in Brooklyn. As an owner in the area, I’ve been taking the subway in advance (and so will you).
I live a few blocks away and think the fact that this shop is still in the neighborhood is wonderful and necessary. I’m sure those violation fee’s aren’t going to be easy to come by… anyone up for putting their money where their mouth is? Approach the owners about creating some kind of neighborhood support/fundraiser? I’m so tired of reading so much blah blah blah on here… let’s help a place stay if we like it so much!?
@BklynBornNBred… i got you.
No Argument there from me on that last posted point.
This all started well over a month ago. Like anything else while dealing with the city, it is not a problem until the higher ups get involved. They primary issue was the number of tires stored indoors. Next, was their inability to get the required permit. God forbid when a person is in need for additional permits or guidance there is a clear path to get that information. Unfortunately, there isn’t. This lead to them making phone calls to elected officials. They in turn called “Downtown”, making this a priority. The DOB was then called flagging them for operating outside the C of O. Just look at the old sign still hanging over the tire shop sign. I’m all for grandfathering in existing businesses, limiting the “New Brooklynites” from changing the face of neighborhoods. But, when people have to enter a property that is not safe from the get-go, Especially on fire, all bets are off.
@BklynBornNBred.. Duly noted and what you are saying i totally agree with, but they were giving a vacate order and there lively hood gone for the time been, for illegal use contrary to the c of o. thats bogus. So in good practice would not have made sense to give a violation for exceeding the allowed tire storage capacity.
Trust me… There are some really really Cool and nice FDNY guys out there… who have to do as instructed… but it all ways easy to see the good in all this confusion . 🙂
drkreative you are almost right. It all started due to the fact that this type of occupancy, a tire shop, is know as a HIGH HAZARD. This occupancy is guided by a certain number of conditions required by law because it SHARES the building with a multiple dwelling(not even sprinklered). Ever see a tire burn? Do you want to live above that ticking time bomb? Anyway, the 2008 Occupancy law for tire storage is LESS THAN 100 for a business that does not have the required permit for that number of tires stored indoors. The TIRE SHOP was initially given a violation to reduce the number of tires stored indoors. They had to have had well over 100. Trust me… The owner was not able to obtain the permit because there was no clear way for him to obtain it. The next thing you know it was escalated to the DOB because of some structural issues holding up the tire shop floor. 2×4’s I think…
Yes, the guys working there are nice and all that. They might upset the new people who have moved into the neighborhood operating where they are. Bottom line is they have been operating outside the guidelines in place to protect the people who live and those who work protecting the people of the city. Like I have to say, I don’t make the rules, I just have to enforce them.
I hope they are able to clear these issues up and reopen soon……
Thank you, miss priss (and TeamTish!). I lived in Fort Greene from 1991 – 1995 and the flat fix guys were always great. Even though I don’t live there anymore, I’m in Fort Greene a lot (BAM, Greenlight, Greene Grape, Scopello, etc.) and I agree – the tire store is never an eyesore or unpleasant to walk by in any way. I wish them well and good luck with the hearing.
Well,i am sticking to the issue and did some homework like most you did.
1. The building in question address is 777 Fulton street Block: 2117 Lot:33. [Current Zoning]:R7A/C2-3 has no certificate of occupancy on record
due to the fact it was built pre 1968 and in fact built 1915 As per HPD records [I-Card] with the correct address and block and Lot information. the C of O that was used to state the buildings legal use is “WRONG” as per Department of building own listed records C.O# 190188
( http://a810-cofo.nyc.gov/cofo/B/000/190000/B000190188.PDF )
Thats c.o/#190188 is for 775 Fulton street Block:2117 Lot:35,
DOB or FDNY FAIL BIG TIME.
I hope that some of the people commenting negatively about the shop actually live here, because otherwise it’s ridiculous. I’ve lived in the area for 6 years now and they’ve never been messy or disruptive to sidewalk life. I have to agree with the above posters about it being a wonderful mix on that block. I also support Tish’s support of the business, while I do not support her position on community roots. Being a councilperson in such a diverse community where people’s interests do not always align must be extremely complex and I know that if I were in her shoes, I would have a very hard time pleasing everyone. I think that people might refrain from using language like “jerk” and actually explain what they don’t like. otherwise, it’s A, not informative to your community, and B, not really a good point…