581 East 137th Street, Bronx, NY 10454

581 East 137th Street is a 4-story, 9-unit residential building located in the Mott Haven neighborhood, built in 1931 and currently owned by Howard Kowlowitz. The building has experienced several notable issues in recent years, particularly regarding building maintenance and resident comfort. In 2022, there was a cluster of maintenance complaints (all filed on August 22, 2022) involving problems with walls, ceilings, floors, and windows, though inspections by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) did not result in any violations.

More concerning were the issues documented in late 2021, when Apartment 4 was found to have multiple violations including excessively hot water (over 130 degrees), and missing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, though these violations were certified as corrected by December 2021. The building's maintenance history shows a mix of resolved issues and routine inspections. A water leak was reported and verified in February 2021, and there was an emergency heat/hot water complaint in November 2021.

While there were rodent-related complaints in 2018, the most recent rodent inspection in June 2023 passed without any reported issues, indicating improvement in pest control. The building has maintained a consistent record of bedbug-free status from 2020 through the present, with all recent annual filings (2022-2025) showing zero infested or eradicated units. The Department of Buildings investigated a gas utility complaint in June 2021 but found no violations at that time. The building's overall recent history suggests improving conditions, with no major violations or recurring issues since 2021, though the cluster of maintenance complaints in 2022 indicates ongoing attention to building upkeep may be required.