Prewar Upper West Side rental with long-term ownership but some immediate safety-code issues that need closing.
An 89-unit prewar rental on the Upper West Side with stable, multi-decade ownership. G&L Realty has held the building since 1996, with Michael Laub listed as the head officer. While day-to-day operations stay relatively steady, the record has some active safety-code items and neighborhood noise patterns to watch. Three things to know:
Three open safety-code violations remain active on the building's record. Two of these are classified as immediately hazardous. They involve defective self-closing fire doors—one at the cellar rear yard door cited in July 2025, and another in penthouse unit PHG dating back to August 2024. These doors are critical for stopping the spread of smoke and fire, and they shouldn't be left unresolved for years.
Helicopter noise is a constant presence in the skies overhead. The area within three blocks of the building logged 476 helicopter-noise complaints over the last year. It's a localized sky-corridor issue that hits top-floor units the hardest, with the most recent reports coming in June 2026.
The surrounding streets have been dealing with a heavy wave of construction activity. Neighbors within three blocks filed 170 noise complaints about construction in the last 12 months, mostly focused on equipment operation, jackhammering, and early-morning or late-night after-hours work.
Quieter signals on this building and the blocks around it:
261 Amsterdam Avenue is a 89-unit building in Manhattan, New York City (BBL 1011440001). This building is associated with G & L Realty Delaware LLC. Brix tracks 3 open HPD violations for this property, along with inspection history, DOB filings, tenant complaints, and rent stabilization status.
Built in 1906, this elevator apartment building sits in Manhattan and is tracked by Brix using public NYC records from HPD, DOB, ACRIS, and 311.
Tenants have filed 4 HPD complaints about this building over the last five years, most often about plumbing.
What tenants have called the city about here over the last five years:
The most recent complaint on this building was filed February 8, 2026.
Conditions cited on open violations at this address:
The building last changed hands on March 19, 2007, according to recorded deeds.
Brix rating: Take a closer look (74/100). View the Building Report on Brix.
See every NYC building owned by G & L Realty Delaware LLC on the landlord portfolio page.
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