42 West 56 Street,

Manhattan, NY 10019

Rent was listed cheap initially then they hiked it up by 7-10%. Fridge works.

The Building:
From the moment you enter, you're met with trash bins and the strong smell of food from the ground-floor Chinese restaurant, which lingers throughout the hallways. Expect to see cockroaches by the bins. The shared spaces are in disrepair—dirty, stained carpet on the stairs, broken railings, uneven loud creaky steps, and dirty walls with peeling paint and visible holes that have been ignored for years. No elevator so the move-in is painful and moving truck has to double park in a busy street.

The location is not really a nice “neighborhood “feel” you would expect from NYC. You are in a row of fast food places.

Inside the Apartment:
• Kitchen: Extremely tiny, 6 feet wide wall with barely any counter space—just enough for a microwave or coffee maker.
• Bedroom: Narrow, with a tiny closet and just enough room for a twin bed.
• Living Room: Spacious, but the old windows offer no insulation. It’s freezing in winter and unbearably hot in summer.
• Measurements: The dimensions listed on StreetEasy are inaccurate and misleading.
Amenities & Maintenance:
• No central air; tenants must install their own window AC units, and the super is not allowed to help.
• Heating and hot water are unreliable in winter due to an outdated boiler.
• Roaches appear unexpectedly, and it’s unsettling not knowing where they’re coming from.
• No laundry facilities in the building, and the nearest laundromat is far—making laundry a major hassle.
No package room so you need to be home to receive your packages.
Management Issues:
The most concerning issue is that the management has allegedly illegally deregulated units. Despite the building being constructed in 1915 and qualifying for rent stabilization, it is not treated as such. Expect a rent hike that is at least 7-10%.

Don’t be greedy. The building is old with no improvements.