Fire at Lipsius-Cook Mansion on Bushwick Avenue Damages Historic House, Leaves Tenants in Limbo

The historic Lipsius-Cook mansion on Bushwick Avenue has been left fire damaged after a blaze broke out in the 130-year-old landmarked house on Saturday night. The fire department said one person was injured in the fire, but refused medical treatment.

The fire started sometime around 10:30 p.m. on the first floor of the three-story house at 670 Bushwick Avenue. FDNY said 12 units and 60 fire and EMS workers were at the scene and brought the fire under control by 11:17 p.m.

While an FDNY spokesperson said the cause of the blaze is still under investigation, Bushwick resident Dina Alfano said she was told by crew at the scene it was an electrical fire that sparked on the first floor.

When Brownstoner went past on Tuesday, it appeared the majority of the damage was on the first floor near the rear of the landmarked property, down Willoughby Avenue, where windows had been broken. There was no obvious damage on the exterior of the building facing Bushwick Avenue, but bags of trash were piled up on the building’s steps.

A tenant in the building told Brownstoner that landlord Jean-Baptiste Bruno and his family live on the first floor and basement level of the building, and units on the upper levels are rented out. Tenants in the building had been displaced by the fire and have had no compensation from Bruno or communication about the extent of the damage or if and when they will be able to return.

The fire occurred two months after community members and preservationists, led by the Bushwick Historic Preservation Association and the Historic Districts Council, held a rally outside the beloved mansion calling on the city to better protect it from neglect from its longtime owner.

The circa-1889 Romanesque Revival house has been owned by the LLC 670 Bushwick Ave Rental since 2015 with Bruno, the longtime owner, acting as the LLC’s managing agent, according to city records. The property has a number of open violations, including for cracks in the facade, lack of hot water and electricity, and Landmarks issues. A lis pendens (warning of mortgage foreclosure) was issued in 2008 and 2015, and are both now expired.

In 2020, Bruno and longtime co-owner Rosa Bruno were involved in a lawsuit regarding a 2016 deck collapse at the property.

Alfano, the founding member of BHPA, said Saturday’s fire appeared to be a sign of the overall neglect of the building, and she was nervous that without restoration, a tragedy with a far worse outcome could occur.

“You would think after a press conference maybe he would clean up, you know, maybe he would engage with the community, reach out and what have you, we would be glad to speak with him and engage him because this building isn’t in good shape,” she said.

A spokesperson for the Landmarks Preservation Commission said the agency was aware of the fire and while it understood the damage was limited, it would be making a followup visit to the house. The spokesperson said the agency had been in contact with the homeowner about repairs needed on the historic building prior to the fire, and if further permits are needed for work to repair fire damage, LPC would continue to work with him.

Department of Buildings records show no work permits have been issued for the house since 2011, when Bruno was granted an alteration permit to restore the four-family house after a previous fire.

Brownstoner reached out to Bruno for comment, but did not hear back.

[Photos by Anna Bradley-Smith]

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