1785 Townsend Avenue, Bronx, NY 10453

1785 Townsend Avenue is a 5-story, 59-unit New Law Tenement building constructed in 1924 and currently owned by Mark Engel. The property has experienced persistent heat and hot water issues throughout 2025, with multiple consecutive complaints between January and May 2025, affecting both individual apartments and the entire building.

Most recently, in May 2025, the building has documented plumbing issues related to water supply, which received HPD violations requiring correction. The building has maintained a continuous record of bedbug-free status from 2019 through 2024, as evidenced by annual filings showing zero infested units. The property has faced significant maintenance challenges in recent months, with notable rodent control issues evidenced by failed inspections and rat activity observations between 2023 and 2025.

Apartment 2B was identified in late 2024 as requiring attention for multiple violations including bedbug infestation, mold, and various structural issues such as broken cabinet and ceiling problems, though many of these violations appear to have been certified for correction by early 2025. Additionally, the building has two open violations from 2019 regarding failure to file energy benchmarking reports, and several documented repairs and maintenance work has been permitted through the Department of Buildings between 2021 and 2023, suggesting ongoing efforts to address building maintenance needs. While the building has experienced various infrastructure challenges, including breaches of the Housing Maintenance Code related to window repair and hot water temperatures in 2024, inspectors have often found conditions to be resolved upon follow-up inspections, though some issues remain pending correction.