1496 Amsterdam Avenue, Manhattan, NY 10031

The 25-unit, 6-story New Law Tenement building at 1496 Amsterdam Avenue in Harlem, owned by Donald Notice and constructed in 1905, has faced persistent challenges with rodent activity over the past two years. Most recently, in 2025, multiple rodent-related complaints have been recorded, including inspections in March 2025 that showed rat activity and resulted in bait application.

These rodent issues appear to be ongoing, with inspections showing rat activity as recently as June 2025. The building has also experienced several maintenance issues, with multiple Housing Maintenance Code violations and complaints between 2023-2024. Notable concerns include persistent plumbing and electrical problems (with multiple slow water leaks reported in 2023), safety concerns such as unaddressed smoke detector issues (September 2023), and various sanitary conditions particularly involving pest control (September 2023).

In 2024, specific violations were documented in apartments 2B, 3B, 4B, and 4C, including lead paint hazards, wall and ceiling maintenance issues, and problems with electrical outlets. The building's management has taken some steps to address these issues, as evidenced by multiple bait applications and inspections by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, though many violations remain open or were only recently addressed. While the building has shown no recent bedbug activity (as per reports from 2022-2024 showing zero infested units), the ongoing rodent issues and various maintenance violations suggest that there are continuing challenges with building maintenance and pest control.