Bushwick loft tenants trickling back in after FDNY crackdown

Tenants are beginning to return to 345 Eldert Street in Bushwick after the city ousted some 150 residents from the building last week, Bushwick BK reported. The building, a legally converted loft building that was approved for residential use in 2003, was partially vacated this past Thursday because of fire code violations, including blocked exits and sprinklers. Residents had initially feared that they would have to completely gut their apartments in order to move back in, but it appears that the city is now working with them to recertify the units for occupancy, and some tenants are already starting to tear out code-violating additions with their help. Those residents whose units didn’t need much work have been temporarily re-approved by the Department of Buildings, though others have moved out of their “death traps” for good, according to David Zerykier, an architect who lives in the building and is helping some of his neighbors bring their homes into compliance. As of last night, 12 of the 41 units that were vacated last week had been cleared for occupancy again. [BushwickBK]