High-end condo residents sue over frigid temperatures, mold
New York Post
By Lia Eustachewich
31 October 2016
48 Box Street in Brooklyn, New York
Residents at a pricey Brooklyn condo building claim the developer is
refusing to fix their drafty, leaking units — forcing them to wear hats
and coats indoors while battling black mold, a lawsuit charges.
The six-floor, six-unit building at 48 Box St. looks like a shining gem
on an otherwise gritty Greenpoint block, boasting apartments that
feature marble countertops, stainless-steel appliances, gorgeous wood
flooring and in-unit laundry.
damp, mold-filled disaster
But residents — who plunked down $600,000 to $1 million for their units
in 2013 — say in the Brooklyn Supreme Court suit that the building is a
damp, mold-filled disaster that is freezing cold in the winter because
of shoddily installed windows and a lack of insulation.
“It’s hard to feel comfortable in your own home after three years when,
in the wintertime, you have to wear a winter coat and scarf and go to
bed in fleeces and layer up the blankets because the building is just
leaking air and the cold air is seeping in,” griped one owner, who
declined to give her name.
Another owner said her three-bedroom apartment dips to as low as 30
degrees on the coldest days, and she has three children living with her.
“It’s kind of ridiculous to have to bundle up your kids before we go to
sleep,” said the mom, who also didn’t want to be identified.
Residents in the building blame the leaks on lack of waterproofing.
They say the mold has spread beyond their units, including the ceiling of a shared gym in the basement.
The owners say they have lodged complaints with developers HM Ventures
Group LLC and ASH NYC but that little has been done to fix the problems
after three years.
The building’s board of managers is currently fighting in Brooklyn
Supreme Court with the developers and architect Jung Wor Chin after
suing for breach of contract, fraud and professional malpractice in May.
In court papers, the developers say they purchased the “substantially
completed” building in 2011 and filed suit against Chin and others.
“If those conditions exist, which we do not believe they do, we’re not
the cause of those conditions,” said Ryan Miller, a lawyer for HM
Ventures and ASH.
A lawyer for Chin didn’t return a message seeking comment.
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