A visitor enters the Seedco Studios, 826 Pennsylvania, Friday, Sept. 28, 2012 at the Warehouse Arts District.

A group of artists that helped the Warehouse Arts District earn its name is scrambling to relocate after learning their building doesn’t meet code requirements for them to be there.

The city this week ordered immediate changes at 826 Pennsylvania St., home to SeedCo Studios and Whatever Forever music collective and label. As such, this month’s Final Fridays events there must move outdoors.

Artists will be allowed to remain in the building several more weeks with a number of stipulations, fire marshal James King said.

The plan — agreed upon this week by building owners and city representatives — went into effect Thursday and must be complete by Monday, King said. All artists must vacate the basement and the mezzanine, and those areas must be walled off. Owners must install fire extinguishers, exit signs and emergency lighting. And no more than 20 people may be inside the building at a time.

In order for artists to stay in the building long-term, a fire sprinkler system must be installed in the basement, King said.

The building is approved for its former use: manufacturing and production, King said. Because there was a change of occupancy — it’s now used for artist studio and exhibit space — different code requirements apply.

King said the fire department became aware last year that artists were using the building and talked to owners about making changes, though work did not happen. “It just came to a point finally this summer in which the situation needed to get rectified,” King said.

Warehouse Arts District developer Tony Krsnich said whether the building was approved for use by the artists had been a “gray area” and that increasing popularity of the district probably increased scrutiny.

“We analyzed it, and finally we came to the conclusion this week that we needed to fix it,” he said.

Krsnich said when artists first moved into the building, no one was sure what would happen in the area.

Now, he said, he hopes the group will be a permanent fixture.

Instead of adding more “Band-Aids” to 826 Pennsylvania, Krsnich said he wants to fully renovate the building with the ultimate goal of moving the artists back in. In the meantime, he plans to offer them space in a nearby building at 720 E. Ninth St.

“Those guys are as much of a founder of the Warehouse Arts District as I am, in my opinion,” Krsnich said. “While the artists made that building really cool, it does need some love.”

Whatever Forever co-founder Rolf Petermann said Thursday that he and other musicians were rushing to find space for their equipment. He said upcoming shows would be moved to new venues while the group figures out a long-term plan.

Artist and SeedCo Studios member Erok Johanssen said the move came abruptly.

“Knowing that we were renting an old warehouse, there’s bound to be problems,” Johanssen said. “We always expected there to be some kind of issue but didn’t expect it to come like this.”

Johanssen said his group was optimistic about returning to the building.

“Hopefully we’ll be back in here within a year,” he said. “We love the spot.”