The uproar about 475 Kent continues. Here is the latest:
1) The “explosive grain” from the illegal matzo factory has been removed from the building and the state Department of Agriculture has been informed.
2) The building is supposed to be open from today through Sunday from 10AM-4PM so that people can move things out. Everyone agrees (including a city official off the record), however, that “moving” 150 people out of building will be impossible. After Sunday, the building is supposed to be padlocked.
3) One resident advises on the 475kent website:
the way i see it is that we need to start developing a not only a legal strategy, but a media and communications one as well. these are not mutually exclusive. there is still a great deal of press interest in the story and we need to start using that media interest to begin to serve our legal aims. the fact that the grain has now been removed is a fine place to start. there’s a wealth of messaging opportunity there.
on another front, we need to start a coordinated effort to pressure our electeds to take this issue on. i am very encouraged by councilman yassky’s statement from last night. now we need to get assemblyman lentol and our state senator, marty connor, who is facing a well financed primary fight, involved as well. one side note: connor is being challenged by a man named dan squadron. he’s young, but he’s pretty sharp. if he decides to make an issue out of this, which is a very smart thing for him to do, connor will absolutely have to address it as well.
4) Residents are talking things through with attorneys and are likely to files some suits, specifically seeking an injunction and an order allowing them back into the building once major code violations are fixed.
[Photo courtesy of jaredswafford/flickr]
4 responses so far ↓
1 J$ // Jan 24, 2008 at 11:42 am
grain is super dangerous…
http://www.cnn.com/US/9806/10/grain.elevator/
The grain dust explosion at the huge DeBruce Grain complex south of Wichita on Monday shook homes up to 10 miles away and knocked holes the size of houses in the facility’s central control structure.
2 Anonymous // Jan 24, 2008 at 5:05 pm
not to diminish the severity of grain explosions but that happened 10 years ago not Monday.According to Industrial Fire World Magazine the number of these types of explosions are less than a dozen a year. I suspect more people die from lightning. Would I risk living next to a grain elevator? Yea, probably.
3 Rula Lenska // Jan 24, 2008 at 5:09 pm
That explosion didn’t happen Monday. It happened 10 years ago dude. Not to diminish the danger but according to Industrial Fire World Magazine the number of grain dust explosions are less than a dozen a year, and going down. I suspect more people die from lightning. Would I live next to grain elevator for a great space? Yea, probably.
4 stllmitzy // Jan 26, 2008 at 5:13 pm
3rd Ward opens its doors to the Residents of 475 Kent 01/25/2008
Attention all Artists,
3rd Ward a Brooklyn community art space and studio facility on Morgan Ave. in East Willamsburg is opening their doors as an artist refugee camp to all tenants forced to vacate their building at 475 Kent Street.
Bring your sleeping bag and stay as long as you need. If you lost your studio space you are welcome to use all of 3rd Wards facilities including their wood and metal shop, media lab and photo studio.
This is the time for us to pull together as a community. Please pass this onto everyone you know. Lets make sure no one is left out in the cold.
For more information contact 3rd Ward at 718.715.4961 or info@3rdward.com.