55 West 129th Street, Manhattan, NY 10027

The 40-unit, 6-story New Law Tenement at 55 West 129th Street in Harlem, owned by Rick Herman, has experienced several maintenance issues in recent months (2025) requiring attention. The most recent violations involve wall paint/plaster problems and plumbing issues with basins/sinks, both recorded in June 2025, along with concerns about electrical systems including outlets/switches and a refrigerator. More significantly, there have been multiple instances of electrical violations in May 2025, including a power outage and outlet issues, as well as plumbing problems affecting various fixtures.

A particularly concerning situation was reported in June 2025 regarding unsanitary mold conditions, which was classified as an emergency. During 2024, particularly notable issues included a rodent infestation in apartment 6C (addressed by December 2024), along with multiple elevator-related complaints suggesting ongoing maintenance challenges with the building's vertical transportation system. The building's environmental control board violations from 2021-2020 documented various issues, including repairs needed for water damage, cracked surfaces, and peeling paint, though these were ultimately resolved. The Department of Buildings records reveal persistent elevator service concerns, with multiple complaints about single device service and no alternate service between 2022 and 2025, suggesting recurring problems with this critical building system.

There is currently an active complaint regarding elevator service as of May 2025. Recent inspections have generally passed for rodent issues, though there were some failures noted in 2024-2020 inspections. The building has maintained a record of zero bedbug infestations in the past five reporting periods (2020-2024), indicating successful pest management in this regard. Two active violations remain from 2021-2020 regarding failure to file certain inspection results and display energy efficiency information, though these are less critical to current resident living conditions.