A Walk in the Park: City Closes "House of Horrors" Park House In Brooklyn

Equality Brooklyn Style. A dead rat greeted visitors at the entrance to the men’s room on Friday where users were forced to run through a gauntlet of disgusting conditions. (Photos By Geoffrey Croft/NYC Park Advocates) Click on images to enlarge.

Brooklyn

By Geoffrey Croft

Apparently this is the city's definition of "equality," in the park system.

A dangerous and decrepit park house in a Brooklyn park was finally closed by the city over the weekend after park employees complained and a media inquiry was made about the deplorable conditions, NYC Park Advocates has learned.

For years the city has been forcing its employees to work in a rat invested, crumbling park house building in Bensonhurst Park located Cropsey Avenue and Bay Parkway.

Exposed electrical wires, rodent feces, mold, peeling paint and plaster etc. improperly stored paint and cleaning agents were plainly on view of Friday. Water drips from the ceiling.

The charred remains of a fire were evident throughout the building. A burnt and partially melted fire EXIT sign hangs on the inside above the building’s entrance.

Exit Sign. A charred and partially melted fire EXIT sign hangs on the inside of the park house above the building’s employee entrance. The city's definition of "equality."

Its uncertain how many codes, safety and health violations exist in the building but appareanly no one from the parks department management thought it was a concern.

One worker called it a, “House of Horrors.”

Park employees were told by a supervisor not to complain about the conditions to their union according to a park source.

The public bathrooms are deplorable.

On Friday a dead rat greeted visitors at the entrance to the men’s room where users are forced to pass under a severely eroded ceiling on their way into in a putrid smelling bathroom room where an abundance of flies await as well as broken windows. On the outside rotten wood and nest make up the crumbling facade.

On Friday urine could plainly be seen on the floor of the woman’s room.

Rodent feces were everywhere in the public recreation room including on top of the radiator and on the children's games.

In the public “rec room,” rodent feces were everywhere. Two rusted air conditioning units were mounted above window treatments stuffed with garbage.

The city’s initial response - the Park’s Department’s press office chastised a reporter for sending an inquiry at the end on a Friday.

The press office also represented that the section of the building where employees work out of was now was closed as multiple workers were seen entering the exiting the building.

Park management also told the president of local that represents City Park Workers that the building was closed.

Charred walls, remnants of a fire in the building.

Yesterday a cleaning crews could be seen inside the rec room while an employee stood guard outside.

New locks were eventually placed on the two the building’s doors.

Its clear the building should be inhabited by anyone, but the Parks Department.

“Its disgusting, It’s unbelievable,” said a park worker speaking on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retribution.

“It's a house of horrors in there, It’s scary,” another worker said.

Parents in the nearby playground say they avoid the bathrooms like the plague. They never use the bathrooms preferring instead to use the park itself if necessary or try to make it home.

“Look at the building, its falling apart. It doesn’t even look safe. Would you go in there,” one parent said.

On Friday DC 37 sent a letter to the city demanding its people be moved out the unsafe work environment until such time the building is safe for occupancy according to a source.

The charred remains of a fire are evident throughout the building where park workers were forced to work out of.

Exposed wiring.

Rat feces everywhere.

Crumbling ceiling above the entrance to the Men's public rest room. Apparenlty no one from the parks department management thought these conditions were an issue.