196 Bradhurst Avenue, Manhattan, NY 10039

The 41-unit, 6-story New Law Tenement building at 196 Bradhurst Avenue in Harlem, built in 1910 and currently owned by Matthew Schmelzer, has experienced several significant maintenance issues in recent years. Most notably, in May 2025, multiple emergency-level complaints were filed regarding no lighting, ceiling issues, and pests, with violations being issued that required correction. The building also faced infrastructure challenges in 2024-2025, including water leaks, heavy flow issues, and various paint/plaster problems.

A particular focus of violations has been Apartment 15, where inspections in late 2024 revealed multiple issues including pest infestations (mice and roaches), defective smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and plumbing problems. The building has maintained compliance with rodent inspections, passing all checks from 2017 through 2025. Historical records show some concerning patterns, including emergency-level complaints about unsanitary conditions and pest infestations in 2025.

The building's maintenance history shows attention to various regulatory requirements, with violations related to fire escape maintenance and smoke detector repairs being addressed. While there were two access-related inspections for building shaking concerns in 2023, these were marked as "Inspector Unable To Gain Access." Additionally, there were violations noted for failure to file annual inspections in 2020 and 2023, which could indicate lapses in compliance with regulatory requirements. The building's bedbug reporting has shown minimal activity, with only one infested unit reported in 2022, while subsequent years reported zero cases.