How well maintained is this building?

There are 149 open HPD violations on record, including 32 Class C (the city's most serious category). That's higher than typical for the neighborhood (3 average per building).

Is this building rent-stabilized?

Yes — this building appears on the DHCR rent-stabilized building list. Ask the landlord to confirm whether a specific apartment is stabilized.

How noisy is this building?

Neighbors filed 0 noise complaints with 311 in the past year — none on record for this building.

How responsive is management to problems?

Resolved violations at this building closed in about 157 days on average (NYC average is roughly 45 days). Open items are listed in the Safety & Violations section above.

What does it cost to live here?

We don't have current listings for this building. Typical asking rent in Little Italy is about $3,850/month for a one-bedroom.

197 Hester Street

Little Italy·Manhattan

🔴4 Pest Alerts

⚪Pre-War

Scroll for details

Violation & building data

Violation data updated Jul 1

Sources: NYC Department of Buildings, NYC Housing Preservation & Development +1 more

Building overview

Area Avg$3,8501-bed neighbourhood

Value—needs listing data

Violations32 critical

BuildingWalk-up

Data as of Jul 1, 2026

Building Quality

How is this calculated?

0.0/ 10Significant Issues

Based on open violations, 311 complaint patterns, and amenities.

Unit Value

How is this calculated?

Limited data — verify with a tour.

Compared to typical rent for this neighborhood and bedroom count.

Highlights

What's great about this place

Pre-war character
Built in 1910
Quieter than average for the neighborhood
0 noise complaints in past year (vs 2 median)

Things to Know

Real considerations before you sign

Open critical violations
32 Class C (immediately hazardous)
Top complaint type at this building
13 heat complaints in past year
Significant issues across building data
See violation history below for details

How we pick these

Neighbourhood mapOpen in Google Maps

About this building

A 6-story building located in SoHo-Little Italy-Hudson Square, containing 40 residential units. Built in 1910.

Neighborhood

Little Italy →

The neighborhood: Little Italy

Manhattan · 216 buildings tracked

Median asking rent: $3,850 1BR · $5,250 2BR

Full Little Italy guide

Available Units

0 active

No past listings.

Past and off-market units will appear here when data is available.

Safety & Violations

Safety Record

149

Active Violations

Higher than typical for this neighborhood (149 vs 3 average per building).

Top issues

Structural37
Safety31
Pests19

Severity Key

Class C: Immediately Hazardous (Major)
Class B: Hazardous (Moderate)
Class A: Non-Hazardous (Minor)

Show Critical Only (Class C)

Pests
ABATE THE INFESTATION CONSISTING OF MICE IN THE ENTIRE APARTMENT LOCATED AT APT 18, 6th STORY, 1st APARTMENT FROM WEST AT NORTH
Jun 8, 2026Class C
Mold
C) § 27-2017, 27-2017.1, 27-2017.4, 27-2017.5, 27-2017.8, 27-2019, 27-2021 HMC: ABATE THE NUISANCE CONSISTING OF EVIDENCE OF RATS AND ALL UNDERLYING CAUSES CREATING THE PEST INFESTATIONS, BY USING INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT (IPM), ELIMINATE ALL BURROW ENTRY AND PASSAGEWAYS, PEST NESTS, HOLES, GAPS OR CRACKS IN WALLS, CEILINGS, FLOORS, FIXING LEAKS AND MANAGING GARBAGE IN PUBLIC AREAS. EVIDENCE FOUND AT ,,, AT PUBLIC HALL, 1st STORY
Nov 3, 2025Class C
Safety
C) MDL AND 28 RCNY §25-171: REPLACE OR REPAIR THE SELF-CLOSING DOORS THAT IS MISSING OR DEFECTIVE HINGES IN THE ENTRANCE LOCATED AT APT 39, 5th STORY, 1st APARTMENT FROM SOUTH AT WEST , SECTION AT NORTH
Jul 21, 2025Class C
Heat/Hot Water
READY ACCESS TO BUILDINGS HEATING SYSTEM ...DOOR LOCKED AT BASEMENT
Jan 17, 2025Class C
Safety
C) MDL AND 28 RCNY §25-171: REPLACE OR REPAIR THE SELF-CLOSING DOORS THAT IS MISSING OR DEFECTIVE HINGES IN THE ENTRANCE LOCATED AT APT 24, 2nd STORY, 1st APARTMENT FROM NORTH AT EAST
Nov 18, 2024Class C

Market Value Estimate

Statistical estimate based on publicly available listing data. Not an appraisal. See disclaimer.Market data as of Jul 1, 2026.

Comp Matrix

Unit Type	This Bldg	Area Avg	Diff.
Studio	—	$3,895	—
1 Bed	—	$3,850	—
2 Bed	—	$9,622.5	—
3+ Bed	—	$7,995	—

Value Verdict

Insufficient listing or market data to compute a verdict for this building.

Rent vs. Buy Analysis

No listing data available to estimate rent vs. buy.

Management & Operations

Management & Performance

Owner/Operator

BEN SHU MANAGEMENT CORP

Responsiveness Score

157days

Average time to resolve violations

Slower than NYC average (45 days)

We haven't verified this building's policies yet. Pet, utility, and leasing details appear here once we've reviewed the management company's official site — we only show policies we can source, never assumptions.

Living here — quick answers

Every answer comes from public records for this specific building — we skip questions we can't answer with data.

How well maintained is this building?: There are 149 open HPD violations on record, including 32 Class C (the city's most serious category). That's higher than typical for the neighborhood (3 average per building).
Is this building rent-stabilized?: Yes — this building appears on the DHCR rent-stabilized building list. Ask the landlord to confirm whether a specific apartment is stabilized.
How noisy is this building?: Neighbors filed 0 noise complaints with 311 in the past year — none on record for this building.
How responsive is management to problems?: Resolved violations at this building closed in about 157 days on average (NYC average is roughly 45 days). Open items are listed in the Safety & Violations section above.
What does it cost to live here?: We don't have current listings for this building. Typical asking rent in Little Italy is about $3,850/month for a one-bedroom.

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