714 9th Avenue, Manhattan, NY 10019

The 16-unit, 5-story Old Law Tenement building at 714 9th Avenue in Hell's Kitchen, owned by Deborah Kasner, has experienced several notable issues over the past few years that impact resident safety and comfort. Most concerning is an open violation from October 2023 involving flower pots obstructing fire escape egress from a third-story balcony, which poses a significant safety risk.

Recent inspections have also revealed recurring problems with building access and safety features, including multiple complaints in February 2025 about locked or blocked egress points. The building has a history of food establishment-related issues, with Health Department complaints in 2024 regarding unpermitted operations, as well as a 2022 violation concerning dishwashing facilities. The property has maintained a generally good record regarding pest control, with the most recent bedbug reports (2024-2025) showing no infested units, though there was one previously eradicated unit noted in 2019.

Rodent inspections over the past five years have mostly passed, with only one instance of rat activity reported in June 2021. Historical compliance issues have included problems with fire safety features (such as defective self-closing doors at the bulkhead in May 2023 and missing window guards in 2018), maintenance of building systems, and the need for various repairs to keep the building compliant with housing maintenance codes. While many past violations have been addressed, as evidenced by their closure, the open violation regarding fire escape obstruction and recent egress issues suggest ongoing challenges with maintaining building safety standards.