56-19 Catalpa Avenue, Queens, NY 11385

The 4-unit residential building at 56-19 Catalpa Avenue in Ridgewood, owned by Min Wu, is a 3-story New Law tenement constructed in 1930. The property has experienced several significant compliance issues over recent years, most notably in 2022 when multiple serious violations were recorded, including compromised fire escape access in apartment 3R, the illegal conversion from a 4-family to a 6-family dwelling, and excessive debris in common areas. These led to substantial fines totaling $4,750.

Between 2020-2023, the building faced numerous Department of Buildings violations related to filing requirements, including high-pressure inspections, though these were dismissed. The building's maintenance record shows consistent bedbug management compliance, with no infestations reported in the past five years as of 2025. However, the property has had recurring rodent issues, with inspections in 2023-2024 showing rat activity, despite passing inspections in previous years. The building has undergone various inspections and faced multiple complaints between 2018-2023, including concerns about blocked egress, construction work without permits, and safety violations during crane operations.

While many complaints resulted in "No Violation Warranted" findings, there were occasions requiring correction, such as the 2020 instances regarding debris and falling hazards. The property has maintained an active bedbug management program, with annual reports showing zero infested units for the past several years. Recent rodent inspection results in 2024 indicate ongoing challenges with vermin control, though the most recent inspection in September 2024 passed. The building's total story count and unit configuration appear stable, with no recent changes to the legal occupancy status, though past violations suggest previous unauthorized alterations occurred.