454 East 144th Street, Bronx, NY 10454

The 4-story, 8-unit tenement building at 454 East 144th Street in Mott Haven, owned by Demetri Karagas, has experienced recurring heat and hot water issues over the past two years, with multiple emergency complaints filed between November and December 2023, and again in December 2024, though many of these were resolved upon inspection. In May 2024, several maintenance issues were documented including water leaks, mold, flooring problems, door issues, and wall conditions, though no violations were issued following HPD inspections. The building has also faced significant rodent control challenges, with multiple inspections in 2022-2023 showing rat activity, though more recent inspections in October-November 2023 resulted in bait applications.

A December 2024 inspection led to several housing violations, including the need to properly paint or post floor signs in hallways across all stories, and address concerns about encumbered hallways and defective doors, with most violations being certified as corrected by early 2025. Looking at the building's history, there were some concerning conditions in mid-2024 including self-closing door issues on multiple stories and various maintenance needs in the public areas. A 2020 complaint about a defective boiler was investigated but no violations were found at that time.

On a positive note, the building has maintained a clean record regarding bedbug infestations over the past five reporting periods from 2021-2025, with zero units reported as infested. The property has undergone various inspections since 2017, with rat activity being a recurring issue until recent bait applications in late 2023. The current conditions suggest ongoing challenges with building systems maintenance, particularly heat and hot water reliability, as well as some persistent issues with common area upkeep, though many recent violations have been promptly addressed.