2049 Fredrick Douglass Bl, Manhattan, NY 10026

The 13-unit, 5-story apartment building at 2049 Frederick Douglass Boulevard in Harlem, owned by Ari Shalam, has experienced several maintenance and safety issues since 2023. Most notably, there have been recurring problems with the building's intercom/buzzer system, with four separate complaints filed between July and August 2024, none of which were able to be inspected by HPD. Other recent maintenance concerns include issues with plumbing (toilet and water supply problems), electrical systems (wiring and outlet/switch problems), and general building conditions such as missing signage.

In 2023, the building underwent inspections for pest-related complaints in October, which did not result in any violations. The building's safety equipment came under scrutiny in October 2023 when violations were issued for defective smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in Apartment 4B, though these were certified as corrected by November 2023. Earlier, in 2018, Apartment 4A had multiple violations related to water leaks, electrical wiring, and plaster surface conditions, all of which were eventually resolved.

The building's rodent inspection history shows sporadic issues, with the most recent inspections in 2025 indicating both passed inspections and one failed inspection in December 2024. Importantly, the building has maintained an excellent record with respect to bedbug infestations, with zero reported incidents in the past five reporting periods from 2019 through 2024. An Environmental Control Board violation was issued in August 2023 regarding a window A/C unit installation in a fire escape window, though this resulted in no penalties or balance due.