On Sat., June 25, at noon, local politicians will join tenants of 47 E. Third St. to protest efforts by the building’s landlords to evict them under the owner occupancy provision. The five-story, 11,600-square-foot building is currently home to 15 families — a total of 24 tenants — living in 11 apartments. However, the landlords, Alistair and Catherine Economakis of Granite International Management, want the entire building for use as their primary residence for themselves, their baby and a nanny and are moving to evict the tenants. The building would also include a private gym, library and walk-through kitchen.
The tenants, who have lived there between one and three decades, charge that the landlords just want to get them out of their rent-stabilized apartments and later intend to rent the building to new tenants at market-rate rent. The tenants are awaiting a State Supreme Court ruling on the legality of their landlords’ actions.
Confirmed speakers at the press conference include State Senator Tom Duane, Assemblymembers Deborah Glick and Scott Stringer, State Senator Martin Connor and City Councilmember Margarita Lopez.
The 47 E. Third St. tenants will be joined at the rally by tenants from other apartment buildings where landlords are also allegedly claiming the entire building for personal use. At 12 E. 72nd St., tenants are reportedly being evicted in order to turn the building’s 23 rent-stabilized units into the landlord’s family home. Similar eviction attempts are reportedly underway at 75 Jane St., with the landlord claiming he needs all eight apartments for the personal use of himself and his son.
