1455 Townsend Avenue, Bronx, NY 10452

As of July 2025, 1455 Townsend Avenue is a 6-story, 54-unit residential building constructed in 1926, currently owned by Mark Engel. The building has experienced significant maintenance issues in recent months, with multiple 311 service requests between March and May 2025, including reports of mold, flooring problems, wall maintenance needs, and electrical issues (specifically no lighting) - the latter resulting in code violations that require correction. These recent complaints followed earlier emergency situations in April 2025 involving heat and hot water problems affecting multiple units. The building has also faced persistent rodent issues, with multiple inspections between 2023-2025 consistently identifying rat activity.

The property's maintenance history reveals several concerning patterns. Multiple housing maintenance code violations were recorded in late 2024, primarily affecting apartment 1B, including issues with smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, self-closing doors, floor conditions, and pest infestations. The building's systems have shown recurring problems, particularly with the elevator (with two complaints in 2025 and previous issues in 2020), boiler system (multiple complaints 2021-2024), and heating/hot water systems. Additionally, there are two active Environmental Control Board violations from May 2024 related to failure to comply with prior orders, with penalties totaling $2,500.

The building's maintenance record from 2019-2023 shows a pattern of missed inspections and compliance requirements, including several instances of failing to file required benchmarking reports and completed inspection forms. While the building has had some recent improvements, as evidenced by the January 2025 certification of corrections to several violations in apartment 1B, there remain significant outstanding issues affecting resident safety and comfort. The consistent pattern of maintenance violations, particularly regarding basic services like heat, hot water, and elevator service, as well as ongoing pest problems, suggests a need for continued monitoring of building conditions. However, it's worth noting that the building has maintained a bedbug-free status since 2019 and has shown compliance with several other housing maintenance requirements.