Billionaires’ Row’s Latest Legal Fight is on Water Quality

Another lawsuit over alleged building defects has landed on Billionaires’ Row.

Earlier this week, an owner at 220 Central Park South sued the supertall, developed by Vornado Realty Trust and once dubbed the world’s most profitable condo, for allegedly failing to address tap water contamination in his unit.

The lawsuit centers on water quality at one of the tower’s villas, purchased in 2019 by an entity linked to Mexican hardware magnate Daniel Jusidman for $46.5 million, according to the New York Post, which first reported on the case.

In the complaint, an attorney representing Jusidman writes that “white, milky water” is coming from the hot water faucets in the apartment’s kitchen and bathrooms. Those faucets also allegedly contain a “whitish, chalky residue.” One of the lawsuit’s exhibits includes a photo of a finger covered in what appears to be that residue.

Jusidman claims he informed the condo board about the water issues multiple times and that the board acknowledged the problems were connected to “widespread issues in the Building.” Emails included in the lawsuit show communication between one of Jusidman’s family members, Arie Jusidman, and the building’s general manager about the water issues.

Jusidman had “multiple experts” test the water, and their findings showed high levels of zinc and copper, as well as other metals such as aluminum and iron, according to court documents. He also alleges he replaced water filters in the kitchen and bathroom several times, though the water quality hasn’t improved.

A spokesperson for the building’s homeowner association, however, pushed back against the lawsuit’s claims. In a statement provided to the Post, the spokesperson said the complaint was “without merit” and that all tests of the building’s water have “shown it to be safe.”

“The unit owner built out his own space and installed the plumbing in his apartment. It was not built by the developer or the condominium,” the statement said. “We have not received complaints from other residents about this issue.”

The Robert A.M. Stern-designed tower isn’t the only one in the ultra-wealthy corridor at the heart of a court battle. Harry Macklowe and CIM Group’s 432 Park Avenue has been the subject of a years-long feud between condo owners and the developers over alleged construction defects at the supertall.

The tower’s condo board claims it’s “riddled” with construction defects, which have caused flooding and cracks in the walls, the lawsuit, filed in 2021, states. Engineers and other experts have also warned that the building’s facade is cracking and that it could become unsafe in the future, according to a New York Times investigation.

Last year, a co-op next door to 220 Central Park South sued Vornado for $3 million to cover the cost of repairing damage to the building allegedly caused by the supertall’s construction. The lawsuit alleges Vornado initially agreed to pay for the repairs but later refused.

In case you missed it…

New York City is coming under fire following its first steps in implementing a controversial new tax on second homes. Earlier this week, some residents said they received letters from the city’s finance department informing them that they’d be on the hook to pay the new pied-à-terre tax, even though they live in their homes full-time. In the letter, the agency said they would need to file an exemption with the city proving their homes were their primary residences before Aug. 21.

NYC Deal of the Week

The most expensive deal to hit the city rolls this week was for a condo at Extell Development’s Central Park Tower, which traded for nearly $47 million. The apartment sold for a steep discount compared to the $63 million it asked when the developer began marketing units off of floor plans in 2018. It last asked just under $55 million before finding a buyer in July.

The unit, which spans the entire 113th floor, has five bedrooms and five full bathrooms across 7,000 square feet. An Extell team led by Gabriele Tonini heads sales at the building. Douglas Elliman’s Liza Nematnejad represented the buyer, whose identity was shielded by an LLC.