357 West 45th Street, Manhattan, NY 10036

357 West 45th Street is a 5-story, 80-unit Old Law Tenement building constructed in 1920 and currently owned by Drew Popkin. The building has experienced numerous maintenance issues over the past few years, with the most recent concerns in 2025 focusing on heat and hot water problems affecting both individual apartments and the entire building, though these issues were promptly addressed according to HPD records.

Multiple significant problems have been documented in major categories including plumbing (with eight separate complaints in July 2024 alone covering water supply, toilet, and sink issues), safety concerns (such as smoke detector issues), and water-related problems including slow leaks identified in 2024. The building has also faced persistent rodent activity, with multiple inspections showing rat activity from 2023 through 2025, though some inspections were marked as compliance passes. The property currently has several open violations from 2024, including mold issues in a fifth-floor bathroom (violation class C), window problems in apartment 5FW, and multiple unaddressed building safety concerns.

Recent inspections have revealed structural concerns as of early 2024, with issues like unstable cellar conditions and inadequate shoring noted. While the building has maintained a clean record regarding bedbug infestations during the past two reporting periods, and has complied with major housing maintenance code requirements (including correcting safety violations when cited), the persistent nature of plumbing, safety, and rodent issues suggests ongoing maintenance challenges. The building's owner has faced several Environmental Control Board violations related to failure to comply with previous orders and maintain building standards, with penalties totaling over $5,000 imposed in 2024 for various building maintenance failures.