20 West 88th Street, Manhattan, NY 10024

20 West 88th Street is a 4-story, 3-unit residential building located in Manhattan's Upper West Side, built in 1897 and currently owned by Raghunathan Sarma. The property has experienced several significant events over the past five years, most notably a series of violations related to illegal transient occupancy in late 2019, when the basement duplex was found to be operating as an illegal hotel with multiple safety violations, including inadequate fire alarms, lack of required egress, and missing sprinkler systems - all of which resulted in $7,500 in penalties.

The building has also faced recurring rodent issues, with failed inspections noted in 2022 and 2024, though it passed its most recent inspection in September 2024. More recent concerns include active violations from April 2024 related to expired sidewalk shed and pipe scaffold permits, carrying penalties of $6,250 each, and a 2024 Department of Health inspection that identified unsanitary pigeon conditions requiring follow-up inspections. The building's violation history shows some improvements, with multiple previously active violations from 2020 having been dismissed by March 2022, though there remains an active violation from July 2023.

The property has a mixed record of rodent inspections, with some showing rat activity in 2018, 2022, and early 2024, but maintaining compliance in most recent inspections. A construction permit from 2019 is currently listed as in process. While some issues have been addressed over time, including the resolution of several violations, the building continues to experience maintenance and compliance challenges that impact resident quality of life.