204 West 81st Street, Manhattan, NY 10024

204 West 81st Street is a five-story, 20-unit residential building constructed in 1920, currently owned by Sheila Hyman. The Upper West Side tenement has experienced ongoing pest control challenges, particularly with rodent infestations, evidenced by multiple 311 complaints and housing maintenance violations between 2023-2025. Most recently, in late 2024, there was a complaint about pests that inspectors were unable to verify due to access issues. The building has also faced significant maintenance issues, including multiple violations regarding paint/plaster conditions, particularly affecting Apartment 4.

This apartment has documented violations for water damage, pest infestations (including both cockroaches and mice), and various maintenance issues including problems with the ceiling, walls, and cabinet structure, with some violations still listed as open as of late 2023 - early 2024. The property has a concerning history of elevator service disruption, with multiple complaints between 2021-2023 regarding "Single Device on Property/No Alternate Service", though inspections typically found no violations. Between 2022-2023, there were several serious violations related to gas utility service and equipment, including improper installation of gas piping and issues with commercial dryer connections in the basement. These violations included penalties totaling over $20,000, though records indicate they were subsequently resolved.

The building's current status as of 2025 shows active compliance efforts, with the most recent rodent inspection in January 2025 passing, though previous inspections consistently noted rat activity. The property has maintained a clean record regarding bedbug infestations, with all annual reports since 2018 showing zero infested units. The building's most recent inspections and service requests suggest ongoing monitoring and maintenance efforts, particularly in addressing pest control issues. A current active complaint regarding illegal hotel rooms was filed in June 2025, though no disposition or inspection results have been recorded as of the current date.