216 Canal Street, Manhattan, NY 10013

216 Canal Street is a five-story, eight-unit Old Law Tenement building constructed in 1915 in Chinatown, currently owned by Alex Chao. The property has experienced several significant maintenance issues in recent years. Of particular concern is an ongoing electrical lighting problem reported in January 2025, which remains unresolved as of this date.

The building has also faced violations related to exterior structural issues, including step cracks noted in February 2023 that resulted in a $310 penalty, and multiple violations for failing to file required Low Pressure Inspection reports for the years 2019-2021, which remain active as of June 2023. While the building has maintained a clean record regarding bedbug infestations, with all recent annual reports (2021-2025) showing zero cases, it has faced persistent rodent control challenges. Inspections between late 2024 and 2025 revealed periods of rat activity, with multiple baiting treatments applied, though recent inspections in 2025 have passed.

The building's maintenance history includes three consecutive bedbug reporting violations from 2021-2023, though these appear to have been addressed as subsequent reports show no infestations. The property has also generated three complaints about work without proper permits in November 2023, which were referred to the Department of Consumer Affairs. The Department of Buildings issued a violation in 2023 for failure to maintain the building in a code-compliant manner, specifically regarding exterior conditions, and while some violations have been resolved, others remain open or active. The most recent housing maintenance code violation (2025) for lighting issues indicates ongoing challenges with building systems.