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A Silverstein Sues For Her Dream Home
Lisa Silverstein, executive vice president of Silverstein Properties, is among the buyers of condominiums in 125 Church Street, aka Tribeca Space. All the buyers have been waiting, some for more than two years, to close on their apartments in the massive 74-unit development that runs the entire block between Warren and Murray Streets. In the two years since the developers, Brad Thurman and his father, Harold, began marketing the apartments, they have yet to obtain even a temporary certificate of occupancy. (See story in Trib archives at www.tribecatrib.com.) Recently, Silverstein and another buyer, Charles and Jane Forman of Brookline, Mass., filed suit to force the Thurmans to get the temporary certificate of occupancy. “[Silverstein]…continues to lose precious and irreplaceable time in creating the home she has dreamed of for herself and her family,” the suit says. Silverstein and the Formans are asking the court to appoint a receiver who will expedite the certificate of occupancy. In August, 2006, Silverstein, a mother of three in charge of her father’s 60-story condo-hotel development at nearby 99 Church Street, signed a $6 million agreement to combine four ninth-floor units for her family. The Formans have been in contract since May 2007 to buy a $1.6 million apartment for their son. The suit alleges a scheme by the Thurmans to “deliberately and unconscionably” force buyers to rescind their contracts, and then resell the apartments for more money. In the suit, Silverstein claims Thurman “boasted” to her about the plan. Thurman denies the charge and in court papers claims that he and his father “have done everything in our power” to obtain the temporary certificate of occupancy. He shows that he has hired his own expediter and blames the Buildings Department for dragging its feet with necessary inspections and sign-offs. He also cites a dispute over air rights that was resolved in January 2007. Neither Thurman nor Silverstein returned calls for comment. In a telephone interview, Charles Forman said Silverstein offered to provide Thurman with professional assistance to get the temporary certificate of occupancy and he declined. “One would think he wants to get his hands on the proceeds of the sale,” Forman said. “Somehow, there is no sense of urgency on his part at all.” Tired of waiting, 30 buyers rescinded their contracts last year. “After so much time went by we had to stop giving out time frames for closings,” said Jim Brawders, the Corcoran agent in charge of selling Tribeca Space apartments. In an e-mail to the Trib in April, Thurman said he anticipated closings to begin at the end of May. As of press time on May 30, no temporary certificate of occupancy had been issued and closings had yet to take place. [Home][Back][Search][Contact] The Tribeca Trib · 401 Broadway, 5th Floor · New York, NY · 10013 · 212.219.9709 |
