164 1st Avenue, Manhattan, NY 10009

The 4-story, 6-unit Old Law Tenement building at 164 First Avenue in the East Village, owned by Eric Setton, has experienced several notable issues in recent years. Most significantly, there appears to be an ongoing rodent problem, with multiple inspections in 2025 showing consistent rat activity, though some inspections resulted in "Bait applied" or "Passed" responses. The building also has a concerning pattern of maintenance violations, including two open Housing Maintenance Code violations from 2024 related to the failure to file annual bedbug reports, though the recent 2025 reports show no current bedbug infestations.

More recent complaints include issues with the building's intercom system, which required HPD intervention in late 2024 through mid-2025, and a chemical odors complaint investigated by DOHMH in early 2024. The building's recent history shows an active response to pest control needs, with multiple bait applications recorded in 2025. There have been several Department of Buildings complaints and inspections, including a 2021 complaint about work without a permit, which resulted in inspectors being unable to gain access to the unit.

An environmental control board violation from 2020 was resolved with no penalties. While the building has maintained timely bedbug reporting compliance since 2021, showing zero infestations in recent filings, the rodent control efforts suggest ongoing challenges with pest management. The most recent rodent inspections as of July 2025 indicate that while some measures have been taken, the building continues to experience pest-related challenges that require regular monitoring and intervention.