2337 1st Avenue, Manhattan, NY 10035

The four-story, nine-unit residential building at 2337 1st Avenue in East Harlem, owned by Bita Sassouni and constructed in 1900, has experienced several significant maintenance and regulatory issues over the past five years. Most notably, there has been recurring concern about rodent issues in and around the property, with multiple 311 complaints and inspections between 2023 and 2025 indicating both rat activity and the need for bait application, though recent inspections in 2024 and 2025 show improvement with "Passed" results.

The building was investigated for food safety concerns, including multiple service requests regarding rodent/insect/garbage problems between 2019-2024, and a food poisoning incident in late 2023, though most of these cases were closed with the resolution indicating they were addressed. The property has faced several Department of Buildings violations and complaints, particularly between 2019 and 2022, including multiple violations for illegal commercial use in residential zones, violations related to construction without permits, and failure to maintain building conditions such as facade disrepair and exposed brick issues.

Currently, there are three active ECB violations from 2021 related to failure to comply with Commissioners' orders regarding permits and building maintenance, with penalties totaling $5,625. The building experienced a heat/hot water emergency affecting the entire building in January 2020, which was promptly addressed. While the building has maintained a zero infestation rate for bedbugs according to the annual reporting from 2019 through 2024, the recurring rodent issues and multiple past violations suggest ongoing challenges with building maintenance and compliance.