374 East 159th Street, Bronx, NY 10451

The 25-unit, 6-story New Law Tenement at 374 East 159th Street in Melrose, built in 1906 and currently owned by Ramon Escobar, has experienced recurring heat and hot water issues over the past several years. There have been eight documented complaints regarding heating and hot water problems between 2019 and 2024, with the most recent occurring in October 2024 affecting an individual apartment.

While these issues were consistently resolved following HPD interventions, the pattern suggests persistent infrastructure challenges related to the building's heating system. The property currently has several open violations from 2023-2024, including required interior painting in Apartment 2B and the public hall, as well as maintenance issues in Apartment 6B involving a defective intercom system and lighting fixture.

More concerning are structural and safety matters: an active ECB violation from September 2023 relates to a partially collapsed retaining wall at the rear of the premises, with a $6,250 penalty, and there are multiple open violations regarding unfiled external low-pressure inspections from 2021-2023. The building underwent a special operations compliance inspection in May 2025, which remains active as of the current date. On a positive note, the building has maintained a zero occurrence record for bedbugs over the past six reporting periods (2019-2024) and has consistently passed rodent inspections since 2010, indicating effective pest management practices.