517 East 81st Street, Manhattan, NY 10028

The 10-unit, 5-story Old Law Tenement building at 517 East 81st Street, built in 1914 and currently owned by Robert Kalimian, has experienced several significant maintenance issues over the past five years. Most recently, in 2024-2025, the building has faced ongoing rodent issues, with inspections revealing either rat activity or requiring follow-up inspections, though it passed its most recent health department inspection in May 2025.

Notably, the building had a confirmed mold issue in 2024 (specifically in Apartment 1W) that required remediation, along with several code violations including broken plastered surfaces that needed repair. The building experienced significant heating and hot water system failures in March and December 2019, though these were resolved within days of reporting. The property has also dealt with multiple safety compliance issues, particularly in 2022, when violations were documented regarding faulty self-closing doors and missing or defective safety devices in Apartment 2E and the public hall vestibule, including carbon monoxide and smoke detectors.

Additionally, there was a documented rodent infestation in 2022-2023 (specifically in Apartment 2E) that required remediation. The building's bedbug reporting for 2023-2024 shows one infested unit that was successfully treated, though there were no reports of reinfestation. While the building has passed most routine inspections, the pattern of recurring pest and sanitation issues, particularly in the past two years, indicates ongoing maintenance challenges in this century-old structure.