490 East 21 Street
Composite verdict
This 98-year-old elevator building at 490 East 21 Street has a serious HPD violation profile: 175 open violations including 43 Class C (immediately hazardous) and 89 Class B (hazardous), earning an F grade with a score of 0. The 311 data reinforces the concern — HEAT/HOT WATER is the second-most-reported complaint type in the area with 338 calls, and the building's noise grade is also F with 820 noise complaints in the past 12 months. On the positive side, crime scores a B (78/100), bedbug records are clean over the past 3 years, and 34 of 36 tracked units appear rent-stabilized — a meaningful tenant protection if your unit qualifies.
Class B
Class C
past 12 months
units
(out of 100)
rent
rating
min walk
(311 complaints)
errands grade
nearby
- HPD shows 43 open Class C (immediately hazardous) violations and 89 open Class B violations — can you provide a written list of all open violations and a timeline for resolving them before move-in?
- HEAT/HOT WATER is the second-highest 311 complaint type in the area with 338 calls — has this building had heat or hot water outages in the past two winters, and how were they handled?
- The most recent open HPD violation involves broken plastered surfaces and unpainted walls in Apt E2 on the 5th floor, open for 48 days — what is the current repair schedule for plastering and paint defects throughout the building?
- 34 of 36 tracked units appear rent-stabilized — is the specific unit being offered rent-stabilized, and can you provide the current legal regulated rent and the rent history for that unit?
- The building was built in 1928 and is 98 years old — what major systems (boiler, elevator, plumbing, electrical) have been updated, and can you provide documentation of those upgrades?
- There were 104 UNSANITARY CONDITION complaints in the area over the past 12 months — what is the building's current pest control schedule, and how are sanitation issues in common areas managed?
- Inspect the elevator closely — in a 98-year-old building with an F-grade HPD score and 175 open violations, check for posted inspection certificates, unusual sounds, and visible wear; also walk the stairwells and hallways for peeling plaster, water stains, or evidence of deferred maintenance consistent with the open violation count.
- Check radiators and hot water in the unit during the showing — turn on the hot water tap and, if visiting in cooler months, feel the radiators; 338 HEAT/HOT WATER complaints in the area make this a priority physical test.
- Examine the unit's walls and ceilings carefully for cracked or broken plaster, water damage, and unpainted surfaces — the most recent HPD violation specifically cites broken plastered surfaces and unfinished paint, suggesting this may be a building-wide pattern rather than an isolated incident.
490 East 21 Street sits in Brooklyn, ZIP 11226. The closest subway is Cortelyou Rd (Q) (6-minute walk), served by the Q line. Within an 800-meter walk you'll find 16 restaurants, 6 cafes, 12 groceries, and 1 pharmacy — a walkable-errands grade of A. Nearby public schools include P.S. 245 (grades Pre-K to 5), a 6-minute walk. Noise activity over the past 12 months is very high noise activity — 820 noise complaints filed via 311, mostly street and sidewalk noise. NYPD CompStat data places this precinct at a 78/100 safety score.
- Class C · 43 open · penalty 645 · (15/ea)
- Class B · 89 open · penalty 445 · (5/ea)
- Class A · 43 open · penalty 43 · (1/ea)
- Apr 3, 2024 "FAILURE TO CERTIFY CORRECTION ON IMMEDIATELY HAZARDOUS (CLASS 1) ECB VIOLATION"
- Aug 2, 2022 "FAILURE TO FILE BENCHMARKING REPORT OF ENERGY USE AS PER AD. CODE SEC. 28-309.4"
- Jun 2, 2021 "FAILURE TO FILE BENCHMARKING REPORT OF ENERGY USE AS PER AD. CODE SEC. 28-309.4"
- Alexis Construction Inc.
- CLARENDON DELI CORP.
- MODERNA TRADING, LLC
- P.S. 245
- P.S. 139 Alexine A. Fenty
- Cortelyou Rd (Q)
- Beverley Rd (Q)
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