642 East 223rd Street, Bronx, NY 10466

The 4-unit, 2-story New Law Tenement building at 642 East 223rd Street in Wakefield, owned by Kirk Mclaren and constructed in 1929, has experienced numerous maintenance and safety issues in recent years. Most recently, in June 2025, multiple complaints were filed regarding unsanitary conditions including mold and pest infestations, water leaks, ceiling damage requiring paint/plaster work, and safety concerns related to smoke detectors. These issues resulted in violations being issued by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), though one plumbing complaint was found not to violate housing laws.

The building has open violations from December 2024 affecting apartment 3, including issues with bathroom floor tiles, mouse infestation, wood floor damage in the public hall, defective entrance door hinges, missing window guards, and loose radiator covers. The property has a history of safety and maintenance concerns, with open violations as recent as June 2024 related to inspection certificate postings and registration signs. Prior inspections in 2024 also noted bedbug report filing violations.

The building's plumbing infrastructure has shown recurring issues, with multiple water leak complaints in 2025, and both emergency and non-emergency plumbing complaints have been documented. While a rodent inspection in November 2022 passed, a March 2020 initial inspection failed for unspecified reasons. An illegal conversion complaint from October 2018 could not be investigated due to lack of access. The volume and nature of these complaints, particularly the recent cluster of safety and maintenance issues in 2025, suggest ongoing challenges with building upkeep and tenant safety compliance.