143 West 106th Street, Manhattan, NY 10025

The 20-unit, 5-story old law tenement building at 143 West 106th Street, constructed in 1920 and currently owned by 51 West 106 Street HDFC, has experienced several notable issues in recent years, particularly concerning pest control and building maintenance. Most significantly, the building has faced ongoing rodent problems, with multiple inspections in 2022 (October through December) showing consistent rat activity, though the most recent December 2022 inspection resulted in a passing grade.

The building has also shown structural maintenance concerns, including an active Environmental Control Board violation from August 2019 related to unauthorized construction of a steel platform approximately 12 feet off the ground, for which a $1,250 penalty is still due. There were three Department of Buildings complaints in June-August 2019 regarding various issues including illegal after-hours work and the discovery of unauthorized work, though some of these complaints were resolved without violations being warranted at the time of inspection. The building has undergone several permitted work projects between late 2018 and 2019, with multiple equipment and plumbing permits issued during this period.

A concerning pattern emerged in 2019 with multiple complaints and violations, including a June 2019 finding of construction materials improperly left on the sidewalk without proper barricades. Elevator safety has also been an ongoing concern, with multiple violations related to elevator inspection requirements, including an active 2020 violation regarding failure to correct defects identified in a 2017 inspection. While the building has shown some improvement in maintaining compliance with rodent control measures more recently, the combination of pest control issues, unauthorized construction works, and elevator safety concerns highlights several maintenance and safety challenges that have persisted over the years, particularly during the 2018-2019 period.