132 Duane Street, Manhattan, NY 10013

The 6-story, 4-unit residential building at 132 Duane Street in Tribeca, constructed in 1860 and currently owned by Stuart Smolar, is facing significant structural and maintenance challenges as of mid-2025. The most pressing concerns involve exterior deterioration, with recent inspections in May 2025 revealing spalled masonry, deteriorated stucco, and mortar joint issues, particularly on the north elevation and courtyard areas.

These conditions have resulted in multiple active violations, including a partial vacate order affecting the south courtyard, and the building is subject to upcoming repair work set to commence on June 28, 2025. The building's maintenance history shows recurring issues, with three active Environmental Control Board (ECB) violations from 2024-2025 related to building maintenance, including problems with mortar joints, degraded terracotta, and rusted fire escapes, totaling over $8,000 in penalties.

The property has experienced ongoing elevator concerns, with complaints in 2020 and 2021 regarding the single elevator device and lack of alternate service, leading to violation notices and requiring the installation of a door lock monitoring system for passenger safety. A concerning pattern of paperwork non-compliance is evident, particularly regarding boiler inspection reports, with six active Department of Buildings (DOB) violations from 2018-2023 related to failure to file required annual low-pressure boiler inspection reports. While the building has maintained a clean record regarding bedbug infestations since 2018, and has generally passed rodent inspections conducted annually from 2010-2018, the current structural issues and maintenance violations represent the most significant challenges facing the property in recent years.