254 Essex Street, Brooklyn, NY 11208

254 Essex Street is a 2-story, 4-unit New Law tenement building constructed in 1904 in East New York, currently owned by Maria Melgar. The property has experienced several significant and concerning events in recent years, most notably a fire incident on August 2, 2023, which damaged the building's roof, exterior siding, and caused water damage throughout, though these were unrelated to the fire itself. The incident resulted in multiple active Department of Buildings violations, including structural concerns and the need for repairs to be completed by certain deadlines.

A full vacate order was also issued on August 2, 2023, following complaints about building shaking, though subsequent inspections on August 4 found no violations. The building has an ongoing issue with failure to file required annual bedbug reports, with open violations noted in 2023 and 2024, despite having previously filed reports showing no infestation during the 2020-2021 period. In 2023, two additional complaints were recorded regarding construction work and general maintenance, though these were closed without resulting violations.

A troubling pattern emerges from the bedbug reporting requirements, as previous violations in 2021 and 2022 (now closed) indicate consistent non-compliance with Housing Maintenance Code requirements. The property's single rodent inspection in May 2012 passed, though this information is now significantly dated. The combination of recent fire damage, ongoing bedbug reporting violations, and multiple complaints about building conditions suggests potential maintenance and compliance challenges at this property.