344 East 55th Street, Manhattan, NY 10022

344 East 55th Street is a 20-unit, 5-story Old Law Tenement building constructed in 1940 and currently owned by Terrence Lowenberg. The building has experienced multiple water-related issues over the past few years, with several slow leak complaints filed between June 2022 and February 2023, particularly affecting Apartment 4D on the 4th floor, where a water leak violation remains open as of the latest inspection. The building has also faced some safety concerns, including two violations issued in February 2023 related to non-self-closing doors at the front entrance and vestibule on the first story, along with a violation for damaged fire retardant materials in the 4th-story public hall.

A significant incident occurred in mid-2019 regarding obstructed egress, where outdoor furniture was blocking a fire escape, resulting in multiple ECB violations and fines, though these were all resolved by late 2020. More recent complaints include issues with cooking gas, which were inspected by HPD in 2022, though no violations were found. The building appears to have maintained good pest control standards, as evidenced by the bedbug reports from 2021-2024 showing zero infested units in each annual report.

Rodent inspections conducted regularly from 2010 to 2025 have all passed, indicating effective rodent control measures are in place. The property has a history of various maintenance issues typical of older buildings, including problems with appliances and leaks, but the majority of violations issued have been addressed and closed. The most recent rodent inspection in January 2025 and prior inspections in 2020, 2018, 2016, 2015, and 2011 all received passing marks, suggesting consistent compliance with health and safety standards.