137 Thompson Street, Manhattan, NY 10012

The five-story, 16-unit Old Law Tenement at 137 Thompson Street in SoHo, built in 1875 and currently owned by Edmond Li, has experienced several notable incidents over the past decade. Most recently, in October 2023, there was an ongoing rodent sighting complaint, which followed previous rat activity earlier that year. The building has faced heating issues, with an inadequate heat complaint in late 2018 that escalated to an emergency Housing Maintenance Code complaint, though this was eventually closed.

While the property has maintained a consistent record of required bedbug reporting from 2019 to 2024 showing no infestations or eradications, it did receive violations in 2022 and 2023 related to the failure to file annual bedbug reports, though these were ultimately closed. The building's history includes significant modifications that required attention, particularly concerning unauthorized alterations documented in 2002 involving unauthorized roof modifications and alterations in Apartment 14, which prompted the need for legalizing modifications or restoring original conditions. There was also an Environmental Control Board violation in 2018 involving false certification on a permit application, resulting in a $5,000 penalty.

More recent building maintenance records show regular rodent inspections, with the most recent inspections in 2024 and 2025 passing without issues, though there was evidence of rat activity noted in 2023. The property has maintained an active permit issuance record, with several plumbing and engineering permits granted between 2018 and 2019, indicating ongoing maintenance and improvement efforts. While the building has had its share of violations and complaints, recent years show improved compliance, particularly regarding bedbug management and rodent control, with multiple passing inspections in 2024 and 2025.