629 Union Street, Brooklyn, NY 11215

The 8-unit, 4-story Old Law Tenement building at 629 Union Street in Gowanus, owned by Preston Postlethwaite and constructed in 1931, has exhibited recurring maintenance issues over recent years, with particular concern for hygiene and pest control. The most recent complaint, filed in August 2023, involved unsanitary garbage/recycling storage, while previous significant issues in 2022 included multiple reports of mold, pests (including a documented roach infestation in Apartment 3R), and inadequate heat/hot water systems, which resulted in violation issuance after inspections. The building has a documented history of rodent activity, with multiple bait applications recorded between 2017 and 2022, suggesting an ongoing vermin control challenge.

Various maintenance violations were documented in October 2022, including water leak issues, broken flooring, and defective plaster surfaces in Apartment 1R, though these were marked as resolved. Structural concerns were raised in March 2022 regarding hairline horizontal cracks above windows on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors, while earlier complaints from 2019 mentioned building vibrations and construction debris issues. The building's condition has shown some recent improvements, as evidenced by the bedbug reports from 2021-2024 showing no recorded infestations during the last four reporting periods, and the property has maintained bedbug compliance by filing regular reports.

While several 311 and HPD complaints have been closed without violations being issued, the pattern of repeated maintenance issues, particularly regarding sanitation and pest control, suggests ongoing challenges with building upkeep. Recent 311 complaints have generally been resolved without violations, though there remains concern about the building's garbage storage practices as of late 2023. The building's violation history indicates that while many issues have been addressed, the recurrence of similar problems suggests a need for continued monitoring of maintenance practices and resident comfort conditions.