697 Dawson Street, Bronx, NY 10455

697 Dawson Street is a 5-story, 16-unit old law tenement building constructed in 1910, currently owned by Pedro Vega. The building has experienced several significant safety and maintenance issues over recent years, with the most concerning being an obstruction of the front fire escape drop ladder by an iron fence (C-class violation, 2024), a locked door to a fire escape window in apartment 2B (B-class violation, 2022), and household items obstructing fire escape egress from the 5th-story balcony (B-class violation, 2022). The building has maintained a regular bedbug reporting schedule from 2019-2024 with no recorded infestations, though three A-class violations for failing to file annual reports were issued between 2021-2024, all subsequently closed.

The property has also dealt with various window and electrical issues, particularly in 2019 with multiple complaints about window frames and lighting problems, though these were all resolved within weeks. The building's maintenance history shows a mix of compliance and ongoing challenges, particularly regarding fire safety. Notable past violations include an inoperative intercom system in apartment 2B (2018) and a broken window sash spring balance in apartment 2A (2019).

The building has experienced rodent issues as evidenced by multiple bait applications in 2021, though a subsequent February 2023 inspection passed without any findings. The only recent DOB violation concerns the failure to file a 2019 External Low Pressure Inspection, which was dismissed in January 2024. Despite these issues, the building appears to have maintained compliance with most basic housing maintenance requirements, with regular inspections and necessary corrections being made, though the presence of multiple fire safety violations raises concerns about egress safety.