Tenants’ attorney Susan Cohen is now suing to have that ruling overturned as “arbitrary and capricious,” citing the judge’s apparent inability to read between the lines.
“Landlords today, at least in Manhattan, tend to be sophisticated; they do not use force directly,” wrote Ms. Cohen in her formal complaint. “The threats of force are there, but they are very subtle. … One needs to recognize that words exert force on people by invoking fear, uneasiness, and uncertainty, among other emotions, that is intended to cause people to relinquish their tenancy rights. The same is true with respect to the interruption of essential services.”
A contentious conversion, to be sure — albeit not one Mr. Calderwood initiated. “We came into this project, maybe six, eight months ago; the developer had been working on this property for a while before that,” he told The Observer.
But an outright whitewashing of Old New York? Not so, say the project’s designers.
“We don’t want to scour [the place],” said Robin Standefer of architect firm Roman and Williams, which intends to restore many of the building’s original details, including its coffered ceilings.
Ms. Standefer said the project deserves credit for its preservationist approach. “If more people did this,” she said, “there wouldn’t be so many freaky glass towers all over New York City.”
“I think we’re trying to celebrate New York as much as possible,” added Mr. Calderwood. “Not just celebrate New York, but sort of celebrate the history of that neighborhood and what that area has traditionally been over the past century.”
This traditional celebration will not include the Breslin’s existing ground-level retailers, however, a series of jewelry, garment and perfume shops that are common for the area. Managers of three stores told The Observer they recently received termination notices, giving them 30 to 90 days to move out. “It hurts,” said one shopkeeper, who’s been doing business on the block for almost 13 years.
The retail turnover will make room for Mr. Calderwood’s trendy Rudy’s Barbershop, as well as Stumptown Coffee and a new restaurant by Spotted Pig owner Ken Freidman.
For those concerned about the loss of affordable housing units, hey, at least the room rates will be somewhat reasonable.
“We’re not trying to chase after that $400-a-night type of product,” Mr. Calderwood said, noting that Ace’s rates would fall below even the present Manhattan average of nearly $300 per night. “We won’t be the cheapest,” he added, “but we won’t be the most expensive.”
Credit the acquisition costs. The developers paid nearly $40 million last month for the rather lucrative existing lease on the Breslin, signed in 1984, which requires merely $50,000 in monthly rent through 2029, court records show.
“I think the developers were very savvy in identifying an opportunity,” Mr. Calderwood said.
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