168 East 79th Street, Manhattan, NY 10075

168 East 79th Street is a 16-story, 26-unit "New Law Tenement" building constructed in 1927, currently owned by Philip Whalen. The building has experienced several significant issues in recent years that warrant attention. Most notably, there is an active complaint as of January 2025 regarding unsafe façade conditions (LL11/98) that has yet to be inspected or resolved.

The Department of Buildings (DOB) began 2024 with an active violation for unsafe conditions related to facade maintenance requirements, and a $2,500 penalty was imposed for the registered design professional's failure to notify the department of unsafe conditions. In mid-2024, there were multiple complaints regarding safety issues, including damaged guard rails and unauthorized work, though inspections did not warrant violations in these cases. The building also filed an unsafe report in February 2024 that remains active.

On a more positive note, the building has maintained a clean record regarding pest control, with zero reported bedbug infestations in the past seven reporting periods from 2018 to 2024. Rodent inspections conducted between 2010 and 2019 consistently passed, indicating good maintenance of basic sanitation standards. The building underwent several permitted improvements between 2018 and 2019, including multiple exterior and plumbing-related works, suggesting ongoing maintenance efforts. However, the recent façade safety issues and violations related to timely reporting of unsafe conditions are concerning and represent the most pressing current challenges for the building as of July 2025.