188 2nd Avenue, Manhattan, NY 10003

188 2nd Avenue is a 6-story, 20-unit New Law Tenement building constructed in 1920, currently owned by George Lavian and located in the East Village neighborhood. The building has experienced recurring maintenance issues, with the most recent cluster of problems occurring in July 2024, including multiple plumbing complaints (radiator, bathtub/shower, steam pipe/riser, and sink issues), floor-related problems, and door frame concerns, some of which received violations under the Housing Maintenance Code. Prior mechanical and safety issues have been documented, including violations related to self-closing doors at both the building entrance and roof bulkhead, broken fire retardant materials, and a defective fire escape handrail at the 5th-story balcony.

The building has undergone regular inspections showing consistent attention to pest management, with no reported bedbug infestations in the past two years (2022-2024), though there were multiple isolated incidents between 2020-2022. Rodent inspections have consistently passed between 2020 and 2025. Several significant infrastructure concerns were noted between 2018-2023, including two gas-related referrals (2021 and 2025), work without a permit in 2024, and various code violations related to building maintenance and safety.

The property has maintained active compliance with NYC's bedbug reporting requirements through regular filings, and multiple permits for plumbing and unrestricted work were issued between 2018-2019. While recent 311 complaints have not resulted in any new violations being issued, the building still has several open violations from 2023-2024 requiring attention, including bathroom door and plaster repairs in Apartment 1. The most recent inspections for rodent issues have all resulted in passing grades, indicating effective pest management in recent years.