536 East 142nd Street, Bronx, NY 10454

The 10-unit, 5-story old law tenement at 536 East 142nd Street, built in 1900 and owned by Usher Shteinmetz, has experienced significant maintenance challenges in recent months. Between January and March 2025, there were multiple emergency complaints regarding heat and hot water issues affecting either the entire building or individual apartments, along with several plumbing problems including radiator and sink issues, and general unsanitary conditions such as pest infestations. The building has documented violations from September 2023 related to water leak issues specifically in apartment 5W, affecting both the ceiling and requiring various repairs including plaster work and painting.

The property has a history of plumbing and infrastructure concerns, with multiple 311 complaints between 2023 and 2025, including a water leak complaint from September 2023 that resulted in violations. The building's maintenance history reveals ongoing challenges with building systems and infrastructure. The property received two ECB violations in 2019 regarding the front facade's decorative cornice at roof level, and more recently, there is an open violation from June 2023 concerning the failure to file 2020 external low-pressure inspection documentation.

While rodent inspections conducted between 2013 and 2023 show a pattern of rat activity, the most recent inspection from May 2023 passed, suggesting some improvement in pest control management. Notably, the building has reported no bedbug infestations in the past five reporting periods between 2019 and 2024, indicating effective management of this particular pest concern. The repeated issues with heating systems and plumbing fixtures, particularly in 2025, suggest ongoing challenges with basic building infrastructure and maintenance response times.