135 West 115th Street, Manhattan, NY 10026

The five-story, 21-unit building at 135 West 115th Street in Harlem, owned by Latanya Phelps and constructed in 1920, has experienced several recurring maintenance issues over recent years, with a particular emphasis on heating system problems. Most notably, between 2024 and 2025, there were multiple emergency complaints regarding heat and hot water issues, including both apartment-specific and building-wide problems. These heating system concerns echo previous incidents, such as a December 2022 heat/hot water complaint, suggesting ongoing challenges with the building's systems.

The property has also faced significant safety and habitability concerns, with violations issued in 2023 for missing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in Apartment 5B, as well as ongoing rodent control efforts throughout 2024 showing inconsistent results. Multiple Housing Maintenance Code violations from 2023 remain open, including issues with ceiling and wall plaster, and paint conditions in common areas and individual apartments. The building's maintenance history reveals a pattern of infrastructure challenges, particularly relating to heating systems and pest control, though recent inspections have shown some improvement in rodent conditions, with the most recent March 2025 inspection passing.

The building's historical data shows a variety of maintenance issues being reported and addressed over time, including problems with mold, unsanitary conditions, and various building systems. The Department of Buildings has issued violations, including a recent one from June 2023 regarding the failure to file a 2019 external low-pressure inspection. While the building has maintained a zero infestation rate for bedbugs in recent reporting periods (2019-2025), the recurring heating system issues and safety violations suggest ongoing maintenance challenges. The most recent rodent inspections in early 2025 have shown improvement, with the building passing inspection, though previous records from 2024 indicate ongoing management efforts were required.