704 East 138th Street, Bronx, NY 10454

704 East 138th Street is a 5-story New Law tenement building constructed in 1910, currently owned by Jay Gruen, and containing 19 residential units. The property has experienced significant maintenance challenges in recent years, with multiple complaints and violations recorded. Most notably, in early 2025, there were several emergency plumbing issues including heavy water flow and sink problems, as well as concerns about mold, pests, and flooring in March 2025.

The building has also faced recurring heating issues, with violations documented in February 2024 related to inadequate heat supply, particularly affecting apartment 18, which also had problems with mold, pest infestation, and defective smoke detectors that same month. For safety concerns, four violations were issued in April 2024 regarding security modifications to the roof access door and encumbrances in public areas, while an open violation from February 2024 pertains to restricted access to the building's heating system. The building's recent history shows ongoing maintenance challenges, including water supply issues documented in multiple emergency complaints in June 2025 and attempts to address sanitary conditions.

Rodent inspections between May 2023 and April 2024 indicated active rat activity, though more recent inspections in 2024 showed bait application. The property has maintained a record of being free from bedbug infestations since 2021 according to official filings. Previous building history shows typical tenement maintenance issues, with various work permits issued in 2018 for unspecified general work. While some violations have been closed following inspection and remediation, others remain open or were unable to be fully investigated upon initial reporting, suggesting ongoing responsiveness to resident concerns.