The Feil Organization is suing its architects over a botched plan to convert a Billionaires’ Row office building into condominiums.
The landlord claims architects at Goldstein, Hill & West missed zoning restrictions that limited the scope of the planned conversion of 140 West 57th Street, the New York Post reported.
Feil bought the 14-story, 80,000-square-foot building from Harry Macklowe in 2009 for $59 million, and in recent years stopped renewing leases with office tenants as it planned to empty out the building to make way for a residential conversion.
The zoning lot and development agreement covering the property – and spelling out just what Feil can build there – has been in place since 1984, public records show.
Feil hired Goldsein, Hill & West in 2015 to conduct a feasibility study and spent $12.2 million on plans. But the architecture firm allegedly didn’t take into account zoning restrictions that limit the height of the building and what could be done on the roof, according to the Post.
The landlord is suing for $12.5 million in damages. [NYP] – Rich Bockmann
https://nypost.com/2018/04/28/architects-bad-condo-conversion-plans-cost-me-12m-suit/