97 Brooklyn Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11216

The 71-unit, 6-story apartment building at 97 Brooklyn Avenue in Crown Heights, owned by Glen Viechweg and constructed in 1931, has experienced numerous maintenance and safety issues in recent years. Most notably, there are serious ongoing concerns about construction lead dust in common areas as of March 2025, and there have been recurring water leak problems documented in March 2025, with both "slow leak" and "heavy flow" issues resulting in violations.

The building has also faced multiple sanitation and maintenance challenges, including garbage/recycling storage issues and missing signage complaints in March 2025 that were ultimately deemed non-violative by HPD. The property has a documented history of rodent activity, with multiple inspections showing rat presence between 2022 and 2024, though December 2022's inspection passed. Significant building system concerns have been identified, including an electrical power outage in June 2025 and plumbing issues affecting multiple fixtures in February 2025.

An inspection in November 2024 revealed multiple violations in apartment 6L, including issues with bathroom fixtures, waste lines, window guards, and evidence of mice infestation, though most violations were certified as corrected by January 2025. Structural concerns were raised in December 2024 regarding step cracks around windowsills, and there have been previous violations related to debris removal and elevator maintenance. However, the building's most recent bedbug reports (2022-2025) show no infestations, and the property has maintained some compliance with health and safety protocols, as evidenced by regular inspections and the closure of many violations.