249 East 52nd Street, Manhattan, NY 10022

249 East 52nd Street is a 15-unit, 4-story Old Law Tenement building located in Midtown Manhattan, owned by Sholmo Levy and constructed in 1960. The building has experienced recurring rodent issues, with the most recent inspections in 2025 showing both passed and failed results, and multiple instances of rat activity noted between 2023-2025. The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene issued violations related to rodent signs in 2023, with mandatory follow-up inspections.

In August 2021, the building faced several emergency maintenance issues, including concerns about window guards, smoke detectors, plumbing (bathtub/shower and basin/sink), and reports of mold and pest problems, though no violations were ultimately issued upon inspection. This pattern of rodent and maintenance concerns prompted the building to be placed on the Department of Buildings' radar for potential illegal hotel room activity, with an inspection in October 2023 being referred to the NYPD. The building has maintained a regular bedbug reporting schedule since 2022, showing no reported infestations or eradications in the past three years, suggesting effective pest management in this area.

Of particular note, the building had two violations in 2022-2023 related to failing to file the annual bedbug report, though these were subsequently closed. While the building's maintenance history shows periodic issues, the recent trend shows some improvement, with the most recent rodent inspection in March 2025 passing compliance standards. The property's plumbing, safety systems, and sanitary conditions have generally been addressed promptly, with all emergency complaints from 2021 being closed, though this was after multiple issues were reported simultaneously.