176 Hester Street, Manhattan, NY 10013

176 Hester Street is a 5-story, 13-unit Old Law Tenement building constructed in 1915, currently owned by A. Tse and located in Manhattan's Little Italy neighborhood. The building has experienced several recurring maintenance and safety issues over recent years, with the most significant concerns surrounding heat and hot water availability, fire escape safety, and building maintenance compliance.

Between 2021 and 2024, multiple complaints were filed regarding heat and hot water problems affecting the entire building, though in some cases, inspections could not gain access to verify conditions. A notable building violation remains active as of April 2024 regarding failure to file annual bedbug reports since 2019, and the Department of Buildings has issued an environmental violation in 2022 concerning damaged and spalling bricks on the building's exterior, with a penalty of $1,250. Recent inspections have generally been positive, with successful rodent inspections conducted between 2019 and 2025 showing no pest issues.

The building's most recent 311 complaint in 2024 concerned cooking gas issues, which were inspected with no violations found. Historical violations from 2019 included concerns about fire escape egress obstruction due to household items on the 4th story balcony and multiple instances of broken glass panes at the building entrance door, though these were subsequently corrected. While the building has faced various emergency complaints over the years, including those related to safety and utility issues, many have been resolved promptly, though some recurring problems indicate ongoing maintenance challenges. The property has maintained compliance with rodent inspections, passing all required checks since 2019, and most recent complaints have been addressed through proper channels, with violations being either corrected or settled through appropriate processes.