142 West 70th Street, Manhattan, NY 10023

142 West 70th Street is a 20-unit, 4-story residential building located in Manhattan's Upper West Side neighborhood, constructed in 1883 and currently owned by Rudolf Armbruster. The building has experienced recurring maintenance issues in recent years, with the most pressing current concern being an open electrical lighting complaint from May 2025 (classified as an emergency). Between late 2024 and early 2025, multiple unsuccessful Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) inspection attempts were made regarding plumbing (toilet), electrical (lighting), and unsanitary (pest) conditions.

The building has had several documented plumbing issues, particularly concerning toilet facilities, and multiple pest-related complaints, though no violations were issued during the August-September 2024 inspections for unsanitary conditions. The property has faced periodic maintenance challenges, as evidenced by a series of Housing Maintenance Code (HMC) violations and complaints between 2018 and 2024. Notable violations include a broken fire-retardant ceiling in the first-story public hall (2024) and issues with self-closing doors in the 4R entrance (2018).

While the building has maintained regular rodent inspection compliance, passing all inspections since 2016, it has had multiple pest-related complaints, particularly in apartments 1R and 4R. Importantly, recent bedbug reports from 2023-2024 show zero infested units, suggesting effective management of this particular issue. The property has also demonstrated responsiveness to housing code requirements, as most violations since 2020 have been closed promptly, with the exception of a few open violations regarding emergency repairs and infestation matters.