646 East 223rd Street, Bronx, NY 10466

The 4-unit, 2-story building at 646 East 223rd Street in Wakefield, owned by Armando Merino, has experienced significant heating and safety-related issues over the past few years. Most notably, in April 2021, there was a series of heating and hot water problems affecting the entire building, with multiple complaints filed between March 25 and April 13, 2021, including some instances where inspectors were unable to gain access to the apartments for evaluation. These complaints, which were classified as emergencies, were subsequently closed, though they indicate a concerning pattern of maintenance issues at that time.

More recent concerns include open Housing Maintenance Code violations for 2022-2024 related to annual bedbug report filings, as well as several safety requirement postings that remain unaddressed. These include missing notices for carbon monoxide detector requirements, smoke detector requirements, gas leak procedures, housing information guide availability, building registration information, and inspection certificate display requirements, all identified during a March 31, 2021 inspection. A gas utility-related complaint was filed in January 2022, though inspectors were unable to gain access during their final attempt in March 2022.

The building's rodent inspection history shows one failure in 2010 (February) and another in 2010 (August), though subsequent follow-up inspections in March and September 2010 resulted in passing grades. A rodent inspection in November 2022 passed as well, suggesting improved conditions in this area. While some heating issues appear to have been resolved, the building currently has multiple open violations regarding safety notice postings and bedbug reporting requirements. The history of heating and maintenance complaints, particularly during 2021, points to potential challenges with building systems and maintenance responsiveness, though more recent service requests have been fewer in number.