135 West 120th Street, Manhattan, NY 10027

135 West 120th Street is a three-story, two-unit residential building in Harlem, constructed in 1891 and currently owned by Marcus Mitchell. The property has experienced several noteworthy regulatory and compliance issues over recent years, most notably concerning building occupancy and conversion status.

There are active Environmental Control Board violations from 2018 related to unauthorized alterations and changes to building occupancy without proper certification, for which penalties were imposed, totaling $2,500. Three consecutive years between 2021 and 2023 (2021-04-02, 2022-02-16, and 2023-03-16) received Housing Maintenance Code violations for failing to file annual bedbug reports, though subsequent filings (2023-2025) indicate no reported infestations. The building has been subject to multiple illegal occupancy investigations, with complaints filed in 2018, 2023, and most recently in January 2025 regarding illegal hotel rooms and SRO occupancy, though inspections resulted in either a violation not being warranted or inspector inability to gain access.

Despite these occupancy concerns, the property has maintained good ongoing maintenance records, passing all rodent inspections from 2018 through 2025, totaling ten inspections. Recent permit activity shows continued building maintenance and improvement work, with permits issued in 2018, 2022, and most recently in 2024 for plumbing and other work. While the building has experienced various code compliance issues, recent years have shown improved maintenance of basic safety requirements, though the 2018-2025 violation history suggests ongoing challenges with maintaining proper documentation and compliance with housing regulations.