608 West 149th Street, Manhattan, NY 10031

The 11-story, 49-unit residential building at 608 West 149th Street in Hamilton Heights, owned by Keith Werny, has experienced several significant maintenance issues since its construction in 2005. Most recently, in November 2024, there was an incident involving loss of heat and hot water, though these services were restored before or during the HPD inspection. The building has a persistent rodent problem, with multiple inspections between 2023-2025 consistently showing rat activity, though in some cases bait was applied.

There are currently two open violations related to bedbug reporting requirements from 2023-2024, and several building system issues including an active violation involving an unregistered boiler from 2021. The summer of 2021 saw a cluster of maintenance issues including electrical problems, window frame concerns, and various other maintenance matters, though no violations were ultimately found in these cases. The building has undergone periodic inspections and generated multiple complaints regarding various maintenance issues, including unsanitary conditions in garbage storage areas (September 2024) and plumbing problems (August 2022).

While many of these complaints were investigated and closed without violations, there have been some concerning patterns. The elevator system has experienced multiple violations in the past, particularly regarding door lock monitoring requirements between 2020-2021, and there have been several complaints about construction work, though most inspections found no violations warranting penalties. The building's management has shown some responsiveness to maintenance issues, as evidenced by multiple closed complaints, but the persistent nature of certain problems like rodent activity and the presence of open violations as of 2024 suggest ongoing challenges in maintaining building systems and compliance with all regulations.