963 Prospect Avenue, Bronx, NY 10459

963 Prospect Avenue is a 5-story, 1908 New Law Single Room Occupancy building located in the Longwood neighborhood and currently owned by David Somerstein. The building has experienced recurring heat and hot water issues, with multiple emergency complaints recorded between 2019 and 2024, including several throughout 2023-2024. Most recently, there were paint and plaster complaints regarding ceilings and walls filed in November 2023.

While recent inspections generally show no violations being issued for these complaints, the pattern of heating system problems is notable. The building has maintained a consistent record of properly filing bedbug reports with zero reported infestations between 2019 and 2024, and passed rodent inspections in 2021 and 2022, though there were instances of rat activity noted in 2018 and 2019. Environmental Control Board violations from 2018-2019 indicate several electrical safety concerns, including improperly terminated armored cables and exposed wiring, particularly during inspections in October 2018 and 2019.

Structural issues were documented with cracks noted around third-floor windows in 2019, and there was one C-class violation in 2018 regarding dangerously hot water at a community kitchen. The building's most recent violation, issued in June 2023, was dismissed regarding failure to file an external low-pressure inspection. While there have been multiple repair permits issued since 2019 for various electrical and plumbing work, the building's history suggests ongoing maintenance challenges, particularly with the heating system, though recent months have shown fewer active complaints compared to earlier years.