72 West 69th Street, Manhattan, NY 10023

The 5-story, 15-unit Old Law Tenement building at 72 West 69th Street, built in 1893, has experienced persistent rodent issues from late 2023 through 2025, with multiple Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) reports of rat sightings and violations requiring follow-up inspections. Most recently, in June 2025, inspections indicated active rat activity, with bait applications ongoing.

The building has also faced several maintenance challenges, particularly in 2022, when multiple violations were documented in apartments 2B and 4C, including hot water issues, defective self-closing doors, and bathroom floor repairs. The property records show multiple unaddressed violations related to external low-pressure inspections from 2018-2021, with active violations issued in 2023 for failure to file these required inspections, though some earlier violations for boiler inspection issues were dismissed.

Additional historical context reveals a pattern of maintenance and compliance issues, including a 2018 violation concerning defective smoke detectors in apartment 2B, and a 2019 complaint about garbage/recycling storage. The building's bedbug reports from 2020-2024 show no documented infestations during the past five reporting periods, suggesting effective pest management in this regard. Current ownership by 181-199 Columbus Ave LLC has maintained a record of permit applications for various improvements, with permits issued for plumbing and other work between 2018 and 2022, though there were concerns noted about building occupancy contrary to the Certificate of Occupancy in 2018, resulting in a $1,250 fine that remains active.