225 East 26th Street, Manhattan, NY 10010

The 6-story, 89-unit building at 225 East 26th Street in Kips Bay, owned by Aloysius Lawn and constructed in 1963, has experienced numerous maintenance and safety issues over recent years. Most notably, there are multiple active violations and ongoing concerns regarding building maintenance and safety systems, including several relating to an illegally modified apartment (formerly 5B/5C) with unauthorized construction of partition walls and doors, currently facing multiple Environmental Control Board (ECB) violations from 2024 with penalties. The building has also received significant Department of Buildings citations for structural and safety concerns, including issues with the parking garage ceiling and emergency systems, with multiple failures to remedy immediately hazardous violations. Recent complaints and violations indicate persistent maintenance challenges throughout the building.

In late 2024, there were multiple HPD complaints regarding unsanitary conditions including mold and pests, along with plumbing and electrical issues. These complaints were generally closed without violations, though one complaint about pests resulted in violations being issued. The building's systems have also faced scrutiny, with multiple complaints about heat and hot water issues, though these were also closed without access being granted for inspection. There are ongoing concerns about the building's compliance with housing codes, evidenced by multiple Housing Maintenance Code violations regarding pest control, structural issues, and maintenance requirements, particularly affecting apartments 1J and 6FN.

The property has undergone several illegal conversion investigations in recent years, with multiple inspection attempts. Although some inspections showed no violations, others resulted in Oath violations being served. The building's history includes periodic rodent inspections, with the most recent in April 2025 passing for the first time in several years, while previous inspections in 2022 and 2020 showed various compliance issues. The building's environmental control board violations from 2023-2024 include serious issues with water leaking systems, elevator problems, and emergency lighting failures, with multiple active violations and high penalties totaling thousands of dollars. While bedbug reports for the past three years show zero cases, indicating successful eradication efforts, the building's recent inspection history demonstrates ongoing maintenance challenges that require regular monitoring.