The Brass Factory

The Brass Factory is the best co-working space I've been to both in the city & in Brooklyn. The vibe/atmosphere is great, the staff are all incredibly friendly and helpful, and they provide really nice food and coffee every day. Highly recommend for startups/founders.

The Brass Factory is one of the best co-working spaces I've been to both in the city & in Brooklyn. The vibe/atmosphere is great, the staff are all incredibly friendly and helpful, and they provide really nice food and coffee every day. Highly recommend for startups/founders.

Not here to trash this place — I've seen reviews saying the staff is friendly and the space is clean, and I have no reason to doubt that. But there's something I wish someone had told me before I considered this location. This building was constructed in 1946 and operated as a brass factory for decades. Brass manufacturing involves copper, zinc, and lead. When factories like this close, traces of those materials don't just disappear — they can stay in the soil, walls, and air systems of the building long after the machines are gone... Because of this history, NYC's Department of Buildings has flagged this property with an Environmental Restriction (HAZMAT). That means the government has officially noted that this building may contain residual industrial contaminants — things like heavy metals or chemical vapors that can linger in enclosed spaces. It's not a confirmation that the air/building is dangerous. It's a flag that says: this needs to be checked... On top of that, public records currently show: 1: a Class 1 SWO is the most serious type and it means the city found an immediately hazardous condition. 2: The environmental restriction described above (HAZMAT) 3: 164 unresolved violations out of 186 total You can verify this yourself: go to the NYC DOB website and search BIN 3062293. Takes one minute... Before signing anything, I'd suggest asking management one simple question: "Before we proceed, could you please provide the OER Notice of Satisfaction for this property, and a recent third-party indoor air quality test report?" How they respond will tell you everything. You're spending 8+ hours a day in an enclosed office. That question is worth asking.

There is no "mutual parting ways". My membership was canceled 2.5 hours after I filed a formal complain regarding to office manger's on going racist, discriminatory comments, and retaliation as documented via email... I am sharing my experience at The Brass Factory to provide a transparent look at their management practices. While the space may initially seem appealing, my membership ended under circumstances that any business owner should consider. 1. Management Culture & Discrimination Despite my brand, OMAD Beauty, being rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the office manager Alice Kim repeatedly referred to our professional deliveries as "Chinese knock-offs." This was not an isolated joke but a recurring insult to my cultural identity and business reputation. 2. Documented Retaliation The timeline of events is documented and speaks for itself: November 21, 2025, 12:15 AM — The Brass Factory issued me Invoice #2025.497 (due December 1, 2025), confirming my membership was active and in good standing. November 22, 2025, 12:15 PM — I submitted a formal written complaint regarding the discriminatory conduct I had experienced. November 22, 2025, 2:50 PM — Exactly 2 hours and 35 minutes later, The Brass Factory issued a "Notice of Termination," summarily ending my membership and revoking my access. Less than 24 hours before terminating my membership, Brass Factory was actively billing me for the next cycle — confirming there were no prior issues or legitimate grounds for termination. The only thing that changed was my decision to raise a complaint. There was no prior warning, no opportunity to respond, no formal review, and no established procedure followed. The decision appears to have been made unilaterally by a single individual, rather than through any transparent policy or conflict resolution process. This was carried out without notice and during my busiest professional season, causing immediate and significant disruption to my business operations with no transition period or recourse. 3. Current Legal Standing Following a formal interview and comprehensive review of the evidence, the NYC Commission on Human Rights has determined sufficient grounds to open an active case regarding this matter against Brass Factory (Acky Inc), and Alice Kim. The first court hearing is scheduled for May 2026... As of March 2026, The Brass Factory continues to withhold my security deposit without providing any written justification or itemized basis for its retention. This is consistent with a pattern reflected in other members' reviews on Google regarding withheld deposits, as well as publicly available court records documenting nonpayment disputes involving the same entity (2025 NY Slip Op 34130(U); Silverstein v. Acky Inc. Brass Factory has failed to respond to any of the legal requests duly served upon them. Most notably, their own retained legal counsel has contacted our side to confirm that he has formally withdrawn from the case after reviewing the evidence and materials filed against Brass Factory... 4. Post-Termination Conduct Since my departure, I have received emails from ownership attempting to silence my experience through legal intimidation. This aligns with reports from other former members regarding staff harassment... Management loves to reply to critical reviews by claiming a 'zero-tolerance policy for harassment'—ironically, while simultaneously spamming a specific individual's name across completely unrelated reviews to smear them... I anticipate they will respond to my review with similar character assassination. I won't argue with them. The fact that they terminated me exactly 2.5 hours after a formal safety/discrimination complaint is undeniable. Let their inevitable personal attack below serve as the final proof of their retaliatory practices....

best place to cowork in wburg!