140 Schaefer Street, Brooklyn, NY 11207

The three-story-plus-basement building at 140 Schaefer Street in Bushwick, owned by Ronen Ben-josef, has experienced significant construction and maintenance issues since 2019, most recently marked by multiple active Environmental Control Board (ECB) violations from February 2023 totaling $48,250 in penalties related to construction safety requirements. These include violations for inadequate overhead protection, missing sidewalk sheds, and unsafe site conditions during what appears to be a vertical extension project.

The building has also been under scrutiny for rodent control issues, with three consecutive inspections in early 2025 showing ongoing rat activity, following a November 2024 DOHMH finding of property violations requiring follow-up inspections. The property has a documented history of unauthorized construction work, particularly in late 2019 when inspectors noted substantial unpermitted demolition work in the basement and first floors. This resulted in multiple ECB violations in 2020-2021 for failure to correct the immediately hazardous violations, though these were eventually resolved.

From 2022-2024, the building faced several Department of Buildings complaints regarding construction-related issues, including multiple reports of work contrary to stop work orders, with at least one resulting in a building violation. While numerous construction permits have been issued between 2021-2025, suggesting ongoing work, the building's inspection history shows a pattern of access issues during inspections, particularly in 2022, which may affect safety oversight. Recent developments indicate that the property continues to require regulatory attention, with multiple active violations and a pattern of noncompliance regarding both construction safety and pest control requirements.