Landlord Combined Adjoining Building Entrances

Tenants complained to the DHCR of a reduction in building-wide services. They claimed that landlord improperly combined two separate entrances of adjoining buildings. The DRA ruled for tenants and reduced their rents. Landlord appealed and lost. Landlord claimed that the old lobbies were run-down. Landlord renovated the ground floors of the two buildings to create a shared entrance lobby. Landlord said that this actually increased lobby services that it could provide. But landlord eliminated the entrance to one building and converted that space to commercial use. And tenants complained that the elimination of their building entrance created a hardship for them, as well as visitors including home health care workers. Landlord also made this conversion without seeking permission from the DHCR to modify or decrease services at the building where it removed the lobby and entrance. Landlord later filed an application for permission to modify the lobby service, but it was denied.

230 West 97th Street, LLC: DHCR Adm. Rev. Docket No. XF430036RO (1/8/10) [3-pg. doc.]