The city's Department of Buildings issued two separate $10,000 penalties on October 27 for work that continued at properties already under stop-work orders, according to DOB ECB violation records — one of the most serious infractions DOB can issue short of a criminal referral.

At 1961 East 14 Street in Brooklyn, a violation naming respondent Harry I. Brams as Trustee cites a full stop-work order issued earlier this year, with three underlying summons numbers listed (39178835J, 39178815M and 39178844L). The inspector reported observing continued interior work inside the residence despite the standing order, per DOB records. The penalty of $10,000 remains unpaid as of the violation date, with a hearing scheduled for January 6, 2027.

At 253-12 81 Avenue in Floral Park, Queens, a violation naming Zone Development Inc. states that a stop-work order issued April 3, 2026 — violation number 039183252Y — was followed by continued construction that the inspector found '100% complete on facade building and garage' at the time of the follow-up inspection, according to DOB records. That penalty is also $10,000 and unpaid, with a hearing set for January 5, 2027.

Both violations cite the same provision of the city's construction code, 28-207.2.2, covering unlawfully continued work after notice of a stop-work order. DOB ECB records list both cases as active and pending, meaning no finding has been made at a hearing.

Neither case has reached a hearing yet, and DOB's record reflects an inspector's observation, not an adjudicated finding. Hearings for both are scheduled for early January 2027.

What to do next

If you're working under any open stop-work order in the five boroughs — even on one trade or one floor — treat the $10,000 class-1 penalty here as the going rate for getting caught back on site before it's lifted. Confirm a stop-work order has been formally rescinded in DOB's system before any crew returns, not just verbally cleared by an inspector. Owners and GCs on either of these two jobs, or anyone tracking them, can look up the hearing dates (January 5 and January 6, 2027) through the DOB ECB violation lookup using the violation numbers 39209453N and 39209624Z.