37 Essex Street, Brooklyn, NY 11208

The two-family house at 37 Essex Street in Cypress Hills, owned by Phoebe Lam Ly, has a notable history of construction-related issues and violations, particularly between late 2019 and early 2021. The building underwent unauthorized construction work in late 2019, when workers were observed installing a new kitchen, bathroom, walls, ceiling, and windows without proper permits. This work prompted multiple Environmental Control Board (ECB) violations, including a significant $5,000 penalty for unsafe conditions related to an unguarded wooden staircase installation between the cellar and first floor.

The property also faced serious safety concerns during this period, with violations for unsafe storage of combustible materials in the backyard and excessive construction debris, resulting in additional penalties totaling $4,250. The situation escalated with failure to comply with the Commissioner's orders regarding safety and permit violations, leading to multiple fines throughout late 2019 and early 2020. While many of these violations were ultimately resolved, including various penalties that were either paid or dismissed, the building's environmental violation history shows a pattern of non-compliance with safety regulations.

In more recent developments, permits were finally issued in 2020 and 2021 for electrical work (job number 322017553), indicating some attempt to regularize the previous unauthorized work. A rodent inspection from March 2012 showed a passing result, though this is considerably dated compared to the recent construction history. As of October 2023, there are no new violations or complaints on record since the permit issuance, suggesting improved compliance with building regulations in recent years.