Vacant Building Partially Collapses in Crown Heights

A three-story building at 983 St Johns Place in Crown Heights partially collapsed on Thursday, September 2nd, 2021. (Image: Billy Richling/Bklyner)

Firefighters responded to a partial building collapse in Crown Heights on Thursday afternoon.

The FDNY arrived just before 2:45pm to 983 St Johns Place near Brooklyn Avenue to find the roof and second floor of the residential building had collapsed into the first floor.

The department told Bklyner the building was vacant and there were no injuries. It is not yet known what caused the collapse. But a preliminary investigation by the city's Department of Buildings (DOB) found openings in the roof and windows missing, which was leaving the interior of the building open to the elements.

The damage was not immediately visible from the street, but the entrance to the property had been blocked off.

The DOB had issued a full vacate order for the structure back in 2016, after an inspector found multiple locations on the first and second floors where the flooring had wasted away, leaving holes. Those holes, the complaint says, exposed wood joists that showed signs of deterioration and rot.

The building, which city records show was constructed in 1909, was also not validly registered with the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD).

Though the building is classified with the city’s Department of Finance as a three-family structure, HPD records show the building had 6 “class B” units, indicating it was likely used for Single Room Occupancy (SRO) housing.

The property is also part of the Crown Heights North II Historic District, which was designated in 2011.

The owner of the building, Patrick James, could not immediately be reached for comment.