51 East 2nd Street, Manhattan, NY 10003

51 East 2nd Street is a 5-story, 20-unit residential building constructed in 1890, currently owned by Tzvi Wertenteil. The property has experienced significant maintenance issues recently, with multiple service requests and violations documented in 2024. Most notably, there were at least seven separate complaints filed in April 2024 alone, including heavy water leaks, slow water leaks, mold issues, and various problems with windows, walls, and flooring.

While these complaints were investigated by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and closed without violations, they suggest ongoing maintenance challenges. More seriously, five violations were issued in May 2024 related to door safety requirements, including problems with self-closing doors at the building's front entrance and basement, though these violations were certified as closed in June 2024. The building's history includes some concerning patterns, such as recurring water-related issues (including a history of plumbing problems in 2020), and a period of heating problems in 2019 that affected the entire building.

While there were rodent sightings reported in late 2022, the most recent inspections in 2025 and 2024 have shown the building to be rat-free, with three consecutive passed inspections in 2024/2025, indicating improved pest management. Importantly, the building has maintained a zero infestation rate for bedbugs in its annual reporting since 2020-2021. Recent permit activity from 2018-2019 shows some building maintenance work being permitted and completed, suggesting ongoing efforts to address building issues, though the frequency and variety of complaints in 2024 indicate that challenges persist.