Apartment Look

Kushner Companies hit with rent-stabilization lawsuit in Brooklyn Heights "Ignorance, indifference or utter disregard of the law." From left: Jared Kushner, Laurent Morali and 89 Hicks Street (Credit: Getty Images, CUNY TV and Google Maps) Kushner Companies violated rent -stabilization laws at a building the company owns in Brooklyn Heights , a new lawsuit alleges. The lawsuit, which seeks class action status , comes at a time when the company is already facing scrutiny over its ownership and management of a massive multifamily portfolio with hundreds of rent-stabilized units across the city, and puts a further spotlight on Jared Kushner, the former CEO of the firm and top White House adviser who continues to hold a stake in the Brooklyn Heights property . For years, the 48- unit apartment building at 89 Hicks Street was a servant to institutions. It was first converted to religious housing for the Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1989, and later became a dorm for Brooklyn Law Schoo...

Funny how your tastes change. There once was a time – back when Coolio actually was cool – when I desperately wanted to live in a town with an Applebee’s . I now reside in a metro area with five, and I’m more concerned that a hole-in-the-wall joint like Silla Cafe is closing. The Broad Street eatery , whose teriyaki chicken has been beloved by downtown denizens for more than two decades, is calling it quits next month. Owned and operated by Felton and Tae Mitchell , the literal “mom-and-pop” restaurant serves its last dish at 855 Broad St. on Sept. 14. “We had fun, but we’re ready to retire now,” Tae said. “We’ve been talking about retiring for a couple years now.” She said that decision to retire was hastened, however, by a steep increase in their rent. “It’s almost double,” she said in a phone interview. Last year the building was purchased by Rafik “Rafi” Bassali , a young real estate investor who is becoming somewhat of a downtown property mogul . The owner of The Swank Company...