19 East 21st Street, Manhattan, NY 10010

19 East 21st Street is a 6-story, 20-unit New Law Tenement building located in Manhattan's Flatiron District and constructed in 1847, currently owned by Jonathan Wertenteil. The building has experienced recurring sanitation issues in recent years, particularly in 2024 and 2025, with multiple complaints regarding garbage/recycling storage and pest problems. Most recently, in May 2025, an unsanitary condition related to pests was reported but could not be inspected due to access issues, and a garbage storage complaint from March 2025 remains open.

The building's maintenance history shows a pattern of access-related inspection failures, with several HPD complaints between 2018 and 2024 being closed without resolution due to inability to access the property. The building has undergone various maintenance and safety improvements over the years, though not without issues. In 2021, violations were issued for inadequate lighting at the front entrance, which were certified as corrected in 2022. Elevator maintenance was addressed in 2019, and multiple structural violations related to fire escape and passageway conditions were resolved in 2018.

Notably, there was one instance of mold reported in 2018 that was resolved. The building's bedbug reports from 2018 through 2024 show no recorded infestations, and while rodent inspections in 2016 showed some rat activity, subsequent baiting efforts were implemented. An Environmental Control Board violation regarding elevator fire service was issued in 2021, but was resolved with no penalties. The most recent complaint pattern suggests ongoing challenges with sanitation maintenance and inspection access, particularly regarding garbage storage and pest management, though many historical issues have been addressed through proper channels.