Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) wrote to NYC Department of Buildings Commissioner Robert LiMandri requesting urgent attention to a broken elevator at 7714 Bay Parkway in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn.  The lone elevator in the six-story building has been out of service for three weeks.  The building contains numerous disabled and elderly residents – including Holocaust survivors – who are unable to walk the flights to their apartments.  In response, the Department of Buildings today indicated to Nadler that it is working to expedite filings and inspections necessary for the building’s elevator to be repaired, and that it has added the building to its major offender program.

“We clearly have a slumlord at 7714 Bay Parkway who is not providing his tenants with the services they pay for and to which they are legally entitled,” said Nadler.  “The owner must be held accountable, and the Department of Buildings must do everything in its power to expedite the repair of the building’s only elevator.  We cannot have a situation in which seniors and disabled residents are being trapped in their apartments or carried up and down stairs.  This is New York City in 2013, and such negligence is disgraceful.”

Below and attached are the full text of the letter:

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Hon. Robert LiMandri

Commissioner

Department of Buildings

280 Broadway, 7th Floor

New York, NY 10007

Dear Commissioner LiMandri:

I am writing on behalf of my constituents residing at 7714 Bay Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11214.  7714 Bay Parkway is a six story building with many elderly and disabled tenants who use a single elevator.  For almost three weeks, the building has been without elevator service, essentially trapping the building’s most vulnerable residents in their apartments, without access to medical care, prescriptions and other services essential to their well being.

Despite numerous complaints from tenants and area service providers, the owner has been slow to make the necessary repairs to restore the elevator to service. The New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) has reportedly been receiving complaints about the elevator since last year. Recently, DOB inspected the elevator and issued a violation to the building’s owner ordering that the elevator be returned to service.

I am very concerned about the length of time in which this building’s elevator has been inoperable and about the many residents who are unable to easily leave their apartments until service is restored. Recent reports that an elderly resident in need of emergency medical attention had to be carried down five flights of stairs by rescue crews are very troubling. I urge DOB to take every action possible under its authority to hold the owner accountable and ensure that the elevator is repaired swiftly. Three weeks is simply too long for a landlord to make a vulnerable population to wait for this essential service.

Many thanks for your attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,

Jerrold Nadler

Member of Congress