for Gothamist: Holdout tenant in $1,500 West Village apartment fears demolition of historic townhouse by José A. Alvarado Jr.

News

for Gothamist: Holdout tenant in $1,500 West Village apartment fears demolition of historic townhouse

josé a. alvarado jr.

Feb 7, 2023

Location: West Village, New York

Summary

A landlord's plan to renovate a historic townhouse in the West Village is being complicated by a lone tenant who refuses to vacate his $1,500 a month rent-stabilized apartment.

A landlord's plan to renovate a historic townhouse in the West Village is being complicated by a lone tenant who refuses to vacate his $1,500 a month rent-stabilized apartment.

Russel Patrick Brown is a harpist and software engineer who’s lived in a 175-square-foot studio apartment on Gay Street for 13 years. The median asking rent in the West Village in December 2022 for all apartments was $4,974, according to StreetEasy.

The building’s owner, Lionel Nazarian, has already been ordered to demolish a neighboring landmarked townhouse after construction workers botched renovations, according to a spokesperson for the buildings department.

Brown fears Nazarian plans to tear down his building, too. He’s been the lone holdout tenant since his last neighbors were bought out last spring. Greenwich Village preservationists have joined the fight.

“In this situation, I’ve learned that everyone has their angle,” Brown said. “I feel like I'm in the ‘Game of Thrones.’”

In 2017, tenants in an East Village building alleged Nazarian forced them out by turning their home into a chaotic construction zone, Gothamist previously reported. Nazarian denied those allegations.

Demolition is underway in the neighboring landmarked row house as Brown’s building falls into a state of disrepair.

Photographed for Gothamist/WNYC, with words by Bahar Ostadan

Holdout tenant in $1,500 West Village apartment fears demolition of historic townhouse
Landlord Lionel Nazarian was ordered to demolish a neighboring landmarked building after construction workers botched renovations.
Gothamist.com

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José A. Alvarado Jr.

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