442 West 44th Street, Manhattan, NY 10036

442 West 44th Street is a four-story, two-family residential building constructed in 1899, currently owned by 442 West 44 Corp. The property has experienced recurring issues with illegal conversions and transient use violations, particularly between 2019 and 2024, with the most recent complaint in October 2024 regarding an illegal conversion. The building has faced multiple violations related to safety and code compliance, including a 2024 violation for a cracked window lintel above the basement entry door that resulted in a $1,280 penalty, and several significant violations in 2019 concerning inadequate fire safety systems, including the absence of required sprinklers and fire alarms for transient use, which each carried penalties of $2,500.

The property has also demonstrated a pattern of not addressing compliance issues promptly, as evidenced by multiple violations in 2021 for failure to file required certificates of correction concerning previous violations. More recent concerns include an active DOB violation from April 2023 regarding the failure to file a 2022 external low-pressure inspection. On a positive note, the building has maintained a clean record regarding pest issues, with no bedbug infestations reported in the past five years (2020-2024), and has consistently passed rodent inspections, most recently in October 2024.

The property shows regular inspection activity and while there have been access issues noted in several complaints, recent inspections have generally been completed successfully. The building has had multiple housing inspections in recent years, with most violations being resolved, though some penalties remain outstanding, such as the 2024 facade violation fee. The pattern of illegal conversion complaints and associated penalties suggest ongoing challenges with unauthorized occupancy issues, though recent activity appears to have decreased in frequency compared to 2019-2020.