537 West 49th Street, Manhattan, NY 10019

The five-story, 20-unit Old Law Tenement building at 537 West 49th Street in Hell's Kitchen, owned by 517 West 180th Street LLC, has experienced several recurring maintenance issues in recent years, most notably concerning heat and hot water systems. The building has two documented heat/hot water complaints in late 2023 and late 2024, with similar access issues preventing inspections in both cases. The property has also faced significant safety and maintenance challenges, including multiple rodent infestation incidents throughout 2021-2024, though recent inspections as of October 2024 showed passing results.

A cluster of violations from late 2023 specifically affected apartment 18, including issues with heating, missing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and water leaks, though these were certified as corrected by late November 2023. The building's infrastructure has required attention, with an open violation from November 2023 regarding locked access to the heating system and a history of problematic door/window issues documented through HPD complaints. The Department of Buildings has recorded several serious violations, including three notable ECB violations from 2020 related to failure to maintain building systems, with penalties totaling over $5,000, though records indicate these were resolved.

Historical records show inspections revealing various maintenance issues, including a 2021 inspection documenting a disrepair condition at the roof exit door. The building's management has been diligent in filing bedbug reports, consistently showing zero infested units between 2021 and 2024, suggesting active pest management. The property has undergone some permitted work as evidenced by building permit records from 2020 and 2022, indicating some level of maintenance and improvement activities being carried out under proper authorization.