Rat Squirrel House Still Shedless, But More Popular With Media

The Rat Squirrel House on Kane Street in Cobble Hill is in a state of stasis since being shut down and roped off a couple of weeks ago. A promised wooden shed to cover the eyesore and public hazard has not arrived, even as increased media attention has.

New York 1, whose presence Lost City reported on Feb. 14, ran its story on the tumble-down landmark last week. The story contained a few interesting pieces of information. Landlady Arlene Karlsen owes the Department of Buildings $130,000 in fines, "but the city has compelled her neither to pay up nor to move out." The DOB lamely told NY1 that "they had to allow her the opportunity to make repairs." This, four years after the fines began. The DOB did, however, issue an "Emergency" violation on Feb. 20. Not sure what that means, if anything.

Not that I'm complaining, but no mention whatsoever in the article of Lost City, the site where they first learned about the Rat Squirrel House. But what can you expect from a reporter with the name of Lindley Pless?