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Developer of buckling NYC building sued for 'life-threatening' shortcuts
New York Post • • business
Key Points:
- MetroLoft, developer of the Manhattan high-rise at 443 Greenwich St., faces a $376 million lawsuit alleging construction defects, including structural flaws and flooding, involving celebrity residents like Rebel Wilson, Harry Styles, and Meg Ryan.
- The condo board sued MetroLoft in 2022 for breach of contract and fraud, citing life-threatening shortcuts such as leaking roofs and crumbling walls, with courts allowing the case to proceed through discovery and appeals.
- Separate litigation by former residents Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel claims insurer liability for extensive flood damage to their penthouse, though MetroLoft is not a defendant in that suit.
- MetroLoft has 40 open violations across multiple New York City luxury conversion projects, including a major emergency stop work order at the former Pfizer headquarters after support beams buckled, prompting round-the-clock shoring efforts.
- The developer’s safety and construction issues reflect broader challenges amid a surge in NYC commercial-to-residential conversions driven by high office vacancies, housing shortages, and supportive government policies.
