523 West 138th Street, Manhattan, NY 10031

The 5-story, 20-unit New Law Tenement building at 523 West 138th Street in Hamilton Heights, owned by Jose Javer and built in 1910, has faced several significant maintenance challenges over the past two years. Most pressing have been recurring heat and hot water issues, with multiple emergency complaints filed between January and March 2024 regarding the entire building's systems, though access issues prevented inspections in several instances.

The building has also experienced plumbing problems, particularly with bathtub and shower installations, most recently in August 2024, and has presented unsanitary conditions including pest infestations noted in August 2024. A specific unit (Apartment 44) has been the focus of multiple violations, including issues with mold, roach infestation, leaking faucets, and multiple paint-related violations, including concerns about lead-based paint noted in October 2023, though some of these were subsequently certified as corrected.

The building's safety systems have also required attention, with the Department of Buildings issuing violations in late 2024 regarding defective fire doors at three locations in the cellar, along with a violation related to the front fire escape. While the building has maintained a generally successful record in rodent inspections (passing consistently since February 2022, with one exception in July 2022), and there have been no bedbug infestations reported in the past three years, the frequency and nature of the maintenance complaints suggest ongoing challenges with building systems and unit upkeep. The property has experienced repeated issues with access during inspections, as evidenced by several "unable to gain access" outcomes in both HPD and DOB complaints, particularly regarding heat and hot water investigations.