EAST WILLIAMSBURG — Two apartments in the Mckibbin Street Loft building were vacated by the city for safety violations cited for illegal hotel usage, a continuing problem at the property for the past several months, according to authorities.
On May 4, the Department of Buildings issued vacate orders for the building's cellar and mezzanine apartment that had been converted into rooms that had no fire exits, no alarm system, and no natural light or ventilation and was being used as an illegal hotel, according to an order posted on the building's door at 248 Mckibbin St. and DOB spokesman Alex Schnell.
On the same day, the agency emptied out another apartment on the second floor for the similar safety hazards and illegal hotel usage.
The most recent crackdown comes on the heels of months of violations issued for transient use, for illegal division of the apartments, unsafe conditions and construction without permits, according to city records.
In mid-March, the DOB vacated three apartments and claimed three of them were being used as illegal hotels, according to building records.
In an apartment of the fourth floor, inspectors found "multiple bunk beds exceeding occupancy," no fire alarm system, insufficient natural light and ventilation, according to the vacate order.
One artist snagged in that raid had divided her loft apartment and was renting it out on the Airbnb, the New York Post reported, though it wasn't immediately clear if the other apartments were being managed by the owner 248 McKibbin LLC or individual tenants.
The company already owes the city around $12,000 in outstanding fines and could have to fork over thousands more when the dozens of pending violations are resolved.
A secretary at Carnegie Management, confirmed they manage the building, but a superior didn't return a request for comment.
