Try being proactive and forming a tenant's association with the goal of buying the building as a co-op. The landlords have different tricks depending on local laws, your tenant's association can have its own lawyer to advise you on N.Y. laws. The sooner you move on this the easier it will be. You see the writing on the wall so does the landlord and you can bet he's getting his game together.
Hmmm... About a third of the tenants are long-timers like me...