487 St Johns Place, Brooklyn, NY 11238

The four-story, 16-unit Old Law Tenement building at 487 St Johns Place in Crown Heights, owned by Lester Nervais, has experienced numerous maintenance issues over the past several years. Most recently, in May 2024, there were complaints about door and window frames, which were inspected by HPD with no violations issued. The building has shown recurring problems with plumbing, including sink and toilet issues, as evidenced by multiple HPD complaints, with one complaint from December 2023 being closed due to lack of access for inspection.

Significant concerns emerged in late 2023, including unsanitary conditions relating to mold (both now-in-progress and recently-closed complaints in October 2023) and problems with flooring conditions. The building experienced heat and hot water issues in September 2023, though these were reportedly resolved. The property has several open and closed violations that merit attention. An open Class A violation from May 2024 requires the owner to file plans and legalize or restore modifications to a drop ceiling in apartment 4C.

Multiple safety-related violations were noted in recent inspections, including issues with handrails at the basement staircase, broken newel posts at public hall stairs, and concerns about hot water temperatures exceeding 130 degrees in apartment 1B. From August 2023, there are violations related to fire safety, including requirements for fire stopping and the presence of fire-rated materials in apartment 4B. The building has undergone various inspections regarding rodent activity, passing inspections in recent years, though there was one instance of rat activity noted in June 2023. Additionally, the property has maintained an active bedbug reporting record since 2020, showing no reported infestations in the past five years, and has recently passed several rodent inspections in 2023 and 2024, though there was one instance of rat activity noted in June 2023.