208 West 119th Street, Manhattan, NY 10026

The 158-unit, 5-story residential building at 208 West 119th Street in Harlem, owned by Josh Koppel and constructed in 1900, has experienced several significant maintenance challenges in recent years. Most notably, there has been a recurring issue with heat and hot water across the entire building during late 2024 and early 2025, with multiple emergency complaints filed in December 2024 and January 2025, some of which were reported as being unable to gain access for inspection.

The building has also faced ongoing rodent-related concerns, with multiple rat sightings reported between October 2024 and 2025, though recent inspections in early 2025 have passed, following some inspections in 2024 that found rat activity. The property has several open Housing Maintenance Code violations from March 2024, including requirements to post various safety notices regarding carbon monoxide detection, gas leak procedures, and to maintain proper building registration signage. Additionally, multiple emergency complaints related to heat and hot water issues were documented throughout late 2024, and in September 2024, a violation regarding water accumulation in the boiler room was recorded.

The building's management has shown some responsiveness to maintenance issues, as evidenced by the closure of various complaints after verification of corrections, though challenges with access for inspection during certain complaints has been noted. The Department of Health's rodent inspections in 2024 showed mixed results, with some failing for "Other Reasons" before achieving passed results in early 2025. A review of bedbug reports shows two infested units in late 2024, with successful eradication, while earlier periods between 2019 and 2024 typically reported zero infestations.