458 West 23rd Street, Manhattan, NY 10011

The 10-unit, 4-story building at 458 West 23rd Street in Chelsea, owned by Ralph Westerhoff, has a documented history of pest management challenges and maintenance compliance issues. The property, constructed in 1857, is classified as a HERETOFORE CONVERTED CLASS A building and has experienced recurring pest-related problems, evidenced by a 311 complaint in March 2023 regarding unsanitary conditions and pests, as well as multiple Housing Maintenance Code violations from 2021-2024 concerning bedbug reporting requirements. While the most recent bedbug report filed in June 2025 shows no current infestations, the building has had documented pest issues in previous years, including reports of infested units in 2020 and 2022. More recently, the building has faced significant mechanical and safety compliance challenges.

In October 2024, two serious violations were issued regarding an unregistered Weil-McLain gas-fired boiler in the basement, for which Oath Violations were served. Additionally, multiple active violations from 2023 were recorded for failure to file external low-pressure inspections for the years 2018-2020. The building has also experienced persistent rodent issues, with multiple baiting operations documented between 2024 and 2025, and compliance inspections showing rat activity as recently as May 2025. The most recent environmental control board violations as of October 2024 indicate active penalties totaling $1,935 related to unauthorized boiler installation and work performed without proper permits.

The property has demonstrated some progress in address bedding bug reporting compliance, with the latest filings in 2025 and 2024 indicating no current infestations, though there were documented cases in 2022-2023. The building's maintenance history reveals a pattern of delayed compliance with various regulatory requirements, particularly concerning boiler registration and pressure inspection filings, suggesting ongoing challenges with maintaining required documentation and addressing mechanical systems properly. Recent rodent control measures have been implemented, with bait application documented multiple times in 2025 and 2024, indicating an active response to pest management challenges. While the building has passed several rodent inspections in previous years (2017-2019), the recent pattern of rat activity suggests an ongoing pest management challenge. The building's permit records show at least one permit issuance in 2018 for minor work, though this appears insufficient to address the building's more recent mechanical and compliance issues.