Another lawsuit over Hurricane Sandy

But this one — unlike the sulky bride-and-groom one — sounds rational.

An owner of a condo at 88 Greenwich Street (that’s in glamorous Tribeca, folks) is suing the condominium board “charging fraud and gross negligence.” The storm damaged the building so seriously, Jonathan Stark (the plaintiff) and other owners will be out of their apartments for four to six months.

The building has no heat, power, water, a working fire alarm system or elevators and the Department of Buildings has declared it uninhabitable.

What I personally find anxiety-provoking is this:

Stark said in an interview that the directors of Greenwich Club Residences and Cooper Square Realty have refused to pursue insurance claims on behalf of the owners for damages to the building’s common areas.

Why does that concern me? Because shortly before the hurricane hit, I learned that the insurance company for my co-op had given notice that they were going to cancel the insurance policy for failure to pay the premiums.

My lawyer and I had to go to court to force the Skush-O’Briens to pay this and the other bills that came bearing shut-off notices (Con Ed) and other threats (a Water Board lien and a City collection agency).

On the brighter side, my associate relatives on West 12th Street, who fortuitously live in a co-op with a Board of Directors not dominated by the Skush-O’Briens, have been treated marvelously by the co-op and its insurance (as well as FEMA). Unlike Mr. Stark, their basement is swarming not with rats and sewerage but high-powered cleaners and construction workers.

I can’t figure out what that condo downtown is doing. I suppose we’ll all find out, via Mr. Stark’s lawsuit.

 

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