237 West 20th Street, Manhattan, NY 10011

The five-story, 15-unit building at 237 West 20th Street in Chelsea, owned by Joseph Brecher and constructed in 1901, has experienced several notable issues over the past few years. Most recently, a heating emergency affected the entire building in October 2022, though no violations were found upon inspection. The building has had recurrent heating and plumbing issues, with emergency heat/hot water complaints in January 2019 and plumbing problems in May 2019 involving both sinks and bathtubs/showers, all of which were resolved without violations.

An April 2019 rodent-related complaint was recorded, but subsequent inspections have consistently passed, with the most recent rodent inspection in June 2025 showing compliance. The property faced significant violations in 2018 related to unauthorized renovation work in Apartment 5B, which included complete demolition of walls and ceilings, removal of partitions, and improper fire stopping, affecting adjacent units. While these violations were ultimately resolved, they triggered multiple Environmental Control Board citations.

The building also accrued several Class A violations regarding bedbug reporting requirements between 2021 and 2023, though the most recent bedbug reports from 2024-2025 show no infested units. Inspection records indicate regular compliance with rodent control measures, with only one failed inspection in April 2019. The building's most recent HPD inspection in March 2023 showed a violation for failing to file the annual bedbug report, though this appears to be addressed in subsequent filings. While the building has experienced various maintenance issues over the years, most complaints have been resolved promptly and recent inspections show improved compliance with bedbug reporting requirements and rodent control measures.