323 West 4th Street, Manhattan, NY 10014

The 19-unit, 5-story building at 323 West 4th Street in the West Village, owned by Richard Mason and constructed in 1853, has experienced recurring heat and hot water issues during the past several years. Between October 2022 and January 2023, there were eight documented incidents of heat and hot water complaints affecting the entire building, though inspections generally found the problems had been resolved by the time of follow-up. More recently, in August 2023, there was a door-related complaint that was investigated by HPD but resulted in no violations. The building currently has two open violations from 2022 related to safety concerns: one regarding egress obstruction from fire escapes and another concerning defective self-closing doors at the 5th story bulkhead.

Additional longstanding violations from 2022 include safety issues in apartment 1A, such as defective smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, missing self-closing doors, and a reported rodent infestation, all of which remain in open status. The Department of Buildings has active environmental control board violations as of 2022 regarding unauthorized occupancy changes, specifically the conversion of two storage rooms into Class A apartments at the 1st story, with a penalty imposed of $6,250. The building has a documented history of fire safety and egress concerns, with multiple complaints filed between 2018-2022 regarding these issues, though most were found to have no violations upon inspection. While there is some historical evidence of bedbug infestations (two units in 2020), the building has maintained a clean record for the past three reporting periods from 2021-2024, showing no infestations in any units.

Regular rodent inspections conducted annually from 2017 through 2025 have generally resulted in passing grades, with only one failure in July 2017, though subsequent inspections showed compliance. The building's maintenance history suggests ongoing challenges with basic services, particularly heating/hot water systems, and various safety-related issues that require attention. While most recent complaints have been addressed without resulting in significant penalties or violations, certain chronic problems such as the unauthorized unit conversions and safety concerns in apartment 1A remain open violations as of the most recent inspection data from 2023-2025. The consistent passing of rodent inspections and the recent clean record for bedbugs are positive indicators of improved pest management in recent years, though the building's age and history of maintenance issues warrant continued oversight.