84-17 125th Street, Queens, NY 11415

The 103-unit, three-story building at 84-17 125th Street in Kew Gardens, owned by Ari Benedict, has experienced numerous maintenance and safety issues in recent months. Most notably, between March and May 2025, there were multiple complaints about heat and hot water problems affecting the entire building, along with significant issues related to water leaks, floor and ceiling conditions, and pest infestations. The Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) attempted inspections but was often unable to gain access to the building.

More recently, in May 2025, there was a rodent sighting report that the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene could not inspect. The building's history reveals persistent maintenance challenges, including several Housing Maintenance Code violations from 2024. These violations included issues with carbon monoxide detectors in apartments 1F and UPPERL, temperature control problems in hot water systems, and various other maintenance concerns in the second-floor unit. Additionally, the property has two active ECB violations from December 2023 related to unauthorized work involving electrical systems and gas piping in the first-floor apartment, as well as previous boiler-related violations from late 2022.

Despite these challenges, the building has maintained a clean record regarding bedbug infestations, with no reported cases in recent years. The most recent rodent inspections conducted in 2023 showed compliance, though past inspections in 2016 noted rat activity. The property has experienced consistent pest-related complaints, with multiple reports in late 2024 and 2025, indicating an ongoing challenges with vermin control. The building appears to have undergone various unauthorized modifications, evidenced by multiple ECB violations related to work performed without proper permits, particularly in the commercial space areas.