History seems to be repeating itself except for one a HUGE difference: The city isn’t helping the manufacturing industry set-up shop elsewhere as they had in the past. The group was forced out of their Brooklyn Heights space in the 1990’s-a result of a citywide plan which forced manufacturing jobs out of select areas in favor of fancy high-ticket residences. Sadly, this isn’t the Co-op’s first brush with a massive change in neighborhood demographics. “It’s painful to end something that we’ve had for more than 30 years,” says Prelati when speaking with the Brooklyn Paper about the co-op’s displacement.ĭamn straight it’s a loss given the sheer amount of talent and incredible woodwork coming out of the Pencil Factory space which crafted violins, custom cabinets and so much more. Who can afford the landlord’s new asking rent? The new tenants taking over the defunct woodshop will house a bar and coffee shop. Philippe Prelati, owner of Atelier Prelati who makes custom doors and member of the Brooklyn Woodworker’s Co-op, says the landlord is jacking up the rent from $20,000 to $55,000 a month-practically 3x’s what they are paying these days. The Brooklyn Woodworkers Co-op–a Greenpoint carpenter collective– who has been sawing, slicing and molding wood for the last 30 years inside the Pencil Factory is now on the chopping block after being presented with, you guessed it, an insane rent increase. In the fast-paced shell game of who is making money off of Greenpoint’s real estate scene, carpenters are getting no love these days. ![]() Photo credit: Jason Speakman via Brooklyn Paper
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