494 Manhattan Avenue, Manhattan, NY 10027

At 494 Manhattan Avenue in Harlem, a 5-story, 9-unit Old Law Tenement built in 1910 and currently owned by Shirley Burnside, there is a notable pattern of rodent-related issues and building code violations over the past several years. The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene received multiple reports of rodent sightings between 2022 and 2023, with the most recent complaints occurring in August 2023, following a March 2023 inspection that revealed violations requiring follow-up inspections. The building has been subject to several Department of Buildings (DOB) complaints and violations, with significant activity recorded in 2024, including a Full Vacate Order served on January 29, 2024, and multiple violations for failure to file required external low-pressure inspection reports between 2019 and 2024.

More recent DOB violations indicate ongoing compliance issues, with an active violation as of September 2024 for failing to file the 2023 external low-pressure inspection report, and three other active violations from January 2024 regarding unfiled inspection reports. Additionally, there were several construction-related complaints in early 2024, including issues with work being performed without proper permits, though some were resolved with "No Violation Warranted" findings. The building's recent history displays consistent rodent-related complaints and multiple instances of regulatory non-compliance, particularly regarding boiler and low-pressure system inspections.

While some complaints have been resolved or determined to have no violations upon inspection, the pattern of violations suggests ongoing maintenance and compliance challenges. The most recent building inspection activity recorded was in May 2025, which resulted in an Oath Violation being served. The property has maintained an active status regarding several violations as of the most recent available data, indicating that not all compliance issues have been fully resolved.