785 5th Avenue, Manhattan, NY 10022

The 18-story, 66-unit residential building at 785 5th Avenue in the Upper East Side, owned by James Letsen and constructed in 1963, has experienced several significant events in recent years. The building underwent major repairs in 2021-2022 following a vacate order due to an unstable masonry arch on the 18th floor, which presented hazardous conditions for lower roof areas. This vacate order was eventually rescinded, though as of early 2025, there remains an active violation related to this issue.

In 2018, the building faced multiple violations regarding scaffolding safety and compliance, with penalties totaling $830, though these were subsequently resolved. Between 2020 and 2025, the Department of Buildings conducted regular inspections and issued various permits for construction work, with the most recent active job appearing to be Construction Safety Compliance related. The building has maintained a relatively clean record regarding pest control, with no documented cases of bedbug infestations reported in the past five years (2019-2024), despite some unit counts requiring eradication in previous years.

Rodent inspections between 2016 and 2019 showed consistent compliance, passing all but one inspection. Recent health department interventions have primarily focused on mobile food vendor issues near the property, with multiple complaints between 2024-2025 regarding equipment, food temperature, and worker activity, though these were not directly related to the building itself. The building's management has generally responded promptly to violations and inspection requirements, as evidenced by the issuance and completion of multiple work permits between 2020 and 2021.