1261 Park Avenue, Manhattan, NY 10029

The 6-story, 17-unit New Law Tenement at 1261 Park Avenue in East Harlem, owned by Bita Sassouni and built in 1910, has experienced several concerning maintenance issues in recent years, particularly regarding heating systems. In early 2025, there were two separate incidents of heat and hot water problems - one affecting the entire building in February and another in March affecting an individual apartment, though both issues were reportedly resolved promptly. The building faced significant pest control challenges in 2022, with multiple Housing Maintenance Code violations issued in September for rodent infestations, including mice, rats, and their associated impacts on public areas.

Health Department inspections in 2024 and 2025 recorded rodent sightings, though recent inspections showed improvements with "Passed" results. The property underwent inspections for various issues, including a door-related problem in November 2024 which was resolved, and concerns about building stability in September 2022 which were investigated with no violations found. The building's maintenance history shows a pattern of heating system issues and pest control challenges, particularly in 2019 and 2022.

However, there have been no reported bedbug infestations since 2018, as evidenced by regular Bedbug Reporting filings showing zero infested or eradicated units. Recent rodent control efforts show some progress, with "Passed" inspection results in 2024, though there was a notable failure in February 2024. Notably, two service requests in 2025 for heating issues were generated by tenants, suggesting ongoing concerns in this area. The building's record also shows attention to various maintenance issues, including door repairs and tile replacements, indicating active management response to system failures and resident complaints, though access issues have sometimes hindered inspection efforts.