705 Driggs Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11211

The 12-unit, 4-story mixed-use building at 705 Driggs Avenue in Williamsburg, owned by Scott Niichel and constructed in 1920, has experienced several significant events over recent years. Most notably, there has been ongoing construction activity since 2019, with multiple complaints regarding work without proper permits and construction safety compliance issues, though inspections generally found no violations at the time. In 2021, two separate environmental control board violations were issued for improperly notifying tenants about construction work and for inadequate tenant protection planning, resulting in a $2,500 penalty. The building has undergone several safety inspections, including three Tenant Safety Inspections in 2021, with one Oath violation served related to safety concerns.

Health and safety issues have included a rat sighting in late 2021 that resulted in Department of Health violations (though subsequent inspections in 2022 showed compliance), and a lighting issue in December 2019 that was investigated by HPD but resulted in no violations. The building's elevator system has experienced multiple violations between 2018 and 2025, primarily related to inspection filing failures, though most were ultimately dismissed. The property has maintained a clean record regarding bedbugs, with all annual reports from 2020 through 2025 showing no cases of infestation. Recent administrative records show ongoing permit activity, with several permits issued between 2019 and 2021 for various construction and maintenance work.

As of 2025, the most recent bedbug report from June 2025 indicates zero infested units over the previous two-year period, suggesting effective pest management. The building has had three notices of violation regarding elevator safety inspections between 2019 and 2021, though these were primarily administrative and ultimately dismissed or resolved. A construction-related Stop Work Order was issued and fully rescinded in December 2023, marking the most recent significant regulatory action against the property. The building's inspection history shows a pattern of construction activity generating multiple regulatory interactions, though most resulting in no violations or being resolved through compliance.