239 West 137th Street, Manhattan, NY 10030

The 5-unit, 5-story building at 239 West 137th Street in Harlem, owned by Alain Liebermann, has experienced several significant maintenance issues in recent years, particularly regarding heat and hot water systems. In early 2022, the building faced multiple heating system problems, with tenants reporting both apartment-specific and building-wide heat/hot water issues to HPD, leading to emergency violations. Though the building passed rodent inspections in 2023 and 2025, there were concerning patterns of rat activity identified between 2022 and 2024, including a compliance inspection in November 2024 that noted rat activity.

The building has also had recurring issues with maintaining proper access to heating systems and door repairs, as evidenced by violations from February 2022 concerning locked basement doors and defective self-closing doors. Recent records indicate improved conditions, with no reported bedbug infestations in the past five years, as confirmed by annual reports through 2025 showing zero infested dwelling units. The most recent rodent inspection in April 2025 resulted in a "Passed" status.

The building has maintained annual bedbug reporting compliance since 2019, with all reports showing zero infested units. Notably, three separate bedbug-related violations were issued in 2022 regarding the failure to file proper annual reports, though subsequent filings show compliance. The building's age (built in 1910) and history of heating system issues suggest ongoing maintenance challenges, though recent inspections indicate some improvement in overall conditions.