Photograph of 475 Kent Avenue by imjustsayin' on Flickr
April 28. That's when the Fire Department will give the artists colony building in Williamsburg a once-over, according to long-time resident and "floorlord" Lillian Mauer, checking that new sprinklers have been installed, fire alarms in good working order and the hallways have been sheetrocked.
"We are expecting positive news, but there are a lot of caveats to that," Mauer said.
Another floorlord, Deborah Masters, said the situation was confusing, but that she hoped the building will be certified for occupancy after the inspection.
Mauer added that well over half of the former tenants are still in a state of limbo, sleeping on couches and shacking up with friends.
"I think not knowing the move-in date has been the worst part of it," she said. "If people knew it was going to be three months then they could have stayed with friends or gotten a short-term sublet, but nobody knew when we'd be able to come back. But they want to return. This is a very dedicated group of people."
-- David Freedlander