133 2nd Avenue, Manhattan, NY 10003

The 5-story, 11-unit building at 133 2nd Avenue in the East Village, owned by Ryan Schafer and constructed in 1920, has experienced several significant maintenance and compliance issues in recent years. Most notably, there have been two recent heat/hot water emergencies in 2025 and 2021, affecting either the entire building or individual apartments. The property has also faced recurring problems with food establishment odors and food safety concerns, with multiple complaints filed with DOHMH from 2020 to 2024, including a current food poisoning complaint from November 2023.

The building has documented multiple violations related to ventilation systems and unauthorized work, with several complaints between 2022 and 2025, though inspections generally found no violations at the time. In 2022-2023, the property was cited for unauthorized occupancy and illegal use violations related to a massage parlor operation, resulting in multiple ECB violations and penalties totaling $14,500, all of which were later resolved. The building's infrastructure has shown some concerning trends, including a recent elevator complaint in March 2025 (though no violations were found upon inspection) and a 2025 complaint about work without a permit. Notably, the building has maintained a clean record regarding bedbugs, with zero reported infestations from 2019 through 2025, and recent rodent inspections in 2023-2025 have generally passed, despite occasional rat activity reports in 2022 and 2023.

The property has been subject to regular health and safety inspections, including successful rodent control efforts, and there appears to be ongoing attention to maintaining basic building standards, as evidenced by the prompt response to recent heating issues and the routine filing of maintenance permits. While the building has faced various compliance challenges over the years, recent records show improved responsiveness to maintenance issues, particularly heat and hot water concerns. The absence of bedbug infestations and consistent passing of rodent inspections in recent years suggest the building management is maintaining basic sanitary standards. However, the recurring nature of ventilation and unauthorized work complaints indicates some ongoing challenges with building modifications and systems maintenance.