649 Empire Boulevard, Brooklyn, NY 11213

649 Empire Boulevard is a 6-story, 52-unit residential building located in Crown Heights, built in 1925 and currently owned by James Dimitriades. The property has experienced several significant maintenance issues in recent years, with the most concerning being a pattern of heat and hot water problems observed in early 2025, when multiple complaints were filed regarding building-wide heat and hot water deficiencies.

Additional maintenance concerns in 2025 included water supply issues (May 2025), mold, water leaks, window frame problems, and ceiling paint/plaster issues (March 2025), all of which resulted in HPD violations. The building has faced ongoing elevator service challenges, with complaints about single device operation and lack of alternate service, most recently reported as active in April 2025. The building's history shows various other maintenance violations, including fire safety concerns related to doors obstructing fire escape access (notably in apartments 31, 58, and 61 identified in 2024), a history of boiler and plumbing issues, and the installation of unauthorized bathroom facilities in Apartment 33 (2020).

While the property has generally maintained compliance with rodent inspections, passing results were recorded in 2022, 2024, and 2025, with one instance of rat activity noted in 2016. The building has demonstrated consistent efforts to address pest control, with no bedbug infestations reported in the past three years. Recent inspections have shown improvements in various maintenance areas, including the resolution of multiple violations related to fire escape access and interior conditions, though the persistent heat/hot water issues in 2025 remain a notable concern for resident comfort and safety.