443 Lafayette Street, Manhattan, NY 10003

The 23-story, 39-unit residential building at 443 Lafayette Street in NoHo, owned by Rich Smith, was constructed in 2004 and has experienced several significant maintenance and compliance issues over the past five years. Most notably, there has been an ongoing rodent control effort throughout 2025, with multiple bait applications recorded between January and April 2025, following documented rat activity in the building.

The building experienced structural concerns in 2020-2021, including an incident in February 2020 when a metal panel fell from the 17th floor facade, leading to several violations related to facade maintenance and safety. These facade-related issues resulted in penalties and multiple inspections across 2020-2021, with the building owner required to retain a licensed professional to evaluate all metal and glass panels. In 2024, the building faced multiple health-related complaints, including concerns about food vendors and odor problems, with several complaints requiring Department of Health and Mental Hygiene intervention.

While the building has maintained a clean record regarding bedbug infestations over the past seven reporting periods (2018-2025), there have been various Department of Buildings complaints, including a Tenant Safety Inspection in 2023 that found no violations. Recent activity includes multiple permits issued between 2019-2023 for various maintenance and work purposes, with the most recent permitted work related to exterior maintenance in 2023. The building's violation history shows several resolved and dismissed violations, though one related to Category 5 inspection requirements remains active as of 2023.