43 1st Avenue, Manhattan, NY 10003

The five-story New Law Tenement building at 43 1st Avenue in the East Village, owned by Paul Vitale, has 72 units and was constructed in 1910. The property has experienced ongoing sanitation challenges, with the most recent complaint filed in May 2025 regarding unsanitary garbage/recycling storage conditions that remains unresolved. Between 2022 and 2025, the building has undergone multiple health department inspections related to unsanitary animal conditions, particularly concerning dogs and cats, though these issues appear to have been addressed.

The Department of Buildings has active violations from 2023 for failure to file required internal and external high pressure inspections for multiple years, and a failure to file the 2022 benchmarking report of energy use. Previous significant maintenance concerns include elevator issues in 2019 and 2020, with violations for inoperability and maintenance problems resulting in fines. The building's maintenance history shows a mix of addressed and ongoing issues. Recent rodent inspections indicate persistent challenges, with multiple bait applications in late 2024 and early 2025, though the most recent compliance inspection in May 2025 passed.

Housing complaints have included various violations, though inspections often found no violations warranted. The property has maintained a clean record regarding bedbug infestations, with no reported cases in the past seven years. Multiple permits for exterior work have been issued between 2018 and 2021, suggesting regular maintenance activities are being conducted. The building's management has responded to many complaints and violations, though the persistence of some recent issues, particularly regarding garbage storage and inspection compliance, is notable.