1281 St Nicholas Avenue, Manhattan, NY 10033

The 1281 St Nicholas Avenue building in Washington Heights, owned by Simon Habermantrust, is a 6-story, 49-unit New Law Tenement constructed in 1930. The property has experienced several significant maintenance issues in recent years, most notably a serious fire incident in mid-2024 that affected multiple floors and apartments (2C, 2D, 3C, and 3D) and resulted in active violations for fire damage requiring remediation. This incident also triggered building-wide safety concerns, including a partial vacate order and structural stability investigations.

The building has a documented history of heating issues, with emergency heat/hot water complaints recorded in both 2019 (building-wide) and 2022 (apartment-specific), though these issues were resolved promptly in each case. More recently, in July 2024, there was a reported indoor air quality issue involving chemical vapors or odors, which received an advisory recommendation for correction. The property has maintained a relatively stable pest control record in recent years, with the most recent bedbug report for 2024 showing no infested units, following one infested unit in 2023 which was subsequently treated.

Rodent inspections have shown inconsistent results, with rat activity recorded in October 2024, though previous inspections (including December 2024) generally showed compliance. The building's elevator system faced a violation in 2020 regarding lack of alternate service, which was eventually resolved. Current violations include the failure to submit acceptable inspection reports for the structurally compromised building following the 2024 fire incident, and a 2021 violation for not displaying the energy efficiency score and grade as required by city regulations.