Trespass Damages Of $750,000 Upheld

Land developer’s construction of building encroached upon neighbors’ land. Britton Property, Inc., a developer, constructed a new six-story residential building located on Britton Avenue, in Elmhurst Queens. Britton installed 17 steel I-beams, a roof cap, and a brick façade that physically encroached on surrounding properties and the properties’ airspace. Britton’s architectural plans provided for the beams to be installed temporarily on the surrounding properties, but Britton failed to remove them.


Owner Wins Rent Stabilization Dispute

Tenants of a Tribeca high rise luxury rental building claimed protection of rent stabilization. Tenants of Tribeca House, a luxury rental residential building located at 50 Murray Street, Manhattan claimed that the owner of the building overcharged the tenants. Tribeca House, a twenty-one-story luxury loft apartment building, has 389 apartments comprised of studio, one, two, and three bedroom units.


Dead Vehicle Storage Violation Upheld

Property owner stored unregistered vehicles in residential area as part of his automotive hobby. On April 7, 2017, the Department of Buildings charged Juan Castillo, a property owner in an area zoned for residential use, with illegally operating an auto body mechanics shop in a garage on his premises, and with permitting the dead storage of vehicles.


Owner Won Higher Value Of Wetlands

The City took Staten Island property that was subject to wetlands regulations. In the early 1970s Baycrest Manor, Inc., purchased two irregularly shaped, adjacent unimproved lots between Zoe Street and Cletus Street in the Dongan Hills section of Staten Island.  After Baycrest purchased the lots the State designated the majority of the lots as wetlands. On November 3, 2006 the City acquired the lots from Baycrest as part of a multi-phase project to manage … <Read More>


Vibration Damages Lawsuit To Be Tried

A building developed cracks in its foundation allegedly caused by pile driving associated with an adjacent construction project. Procida Construction Corp., a general contractor, undertook construction of a new building at 322 West 231st Street in the Bronx adjacent to Famous Formaggio Pizzeria’s building located at 300-318 West 231st Street. During pile driving an enlarged crack appeared in the foundation of Famous Formaggio’s building. Procida halted the pile driving and established a stability … <Read More>


Summons For Defacing Fence Upheld

Individual pasted poster on construction fence. On July 2, 2017, William Acevedo was observed dipping his brush in glue and pasting a poster bill onto a wooden barrier at a construction site located at 261 Fifth Avenue, Manhattan. Acevedo did not have permission or authority from the property owner to paste the poster bill. An NYPD officer charged Acevedo with making graffiti and possession of graffiti instruments.