Mark Tress, a Hell’s Kitchen landlord infamous for his neglectful property management, is facing a lawsuit from the city of New York. The legal action targets Tress over hazardous conditions at the abandoned Windermere building, which has long been a source of concern for both residents and officials.
Long-standing Neglect
For over ten years, the Windermere building has been plagued by issues like falling debris and other safety hazards. Since acquiring the property in 2009, Tress has reportedly ignored numerous orders from the Department of Buildings (DOB) to address these issues.
“The Windermere should be a valued asset to our city, but instead, it has been allowed to deteriorate,” New York City Buildings Commissioner Jimmy Oddo told the New York Post. “The building has been encased in a sidewalk shed and fence for years, with no significant repairs made.”
The city is demanding that Tress rectify hundreds of code violations. He faces civil penalties of $1,000 per day per building, with additional fines for failing to file inspection reports and for maintaining sidewalk sheds without proper repairs.
Community Impact
Local resident Philip Dalgarno, a bankruptcy lawyer, has spoken out about the building’s negative impact on the neighbourhood. “The Windermere’s condition has stunted the development of this entire block. Businesses on the other side of Ninth Avenue remained vacant for over a year after I moved in,” Dalgarno told the Post. “People were even sleeping under the scaffolding. The neighbourhood could benefit from this crackdown.”
Legal and Regulatory Response
The lawsuit falls under the New York Mayor’s Get Sheds Down program, which introduced stricter sidewalk shed regulations in 2023. Despite Windermere Properties LLC’s guilty plea in a related 2022 criminal case, Tress has continued to neglect city warnings. The DOB notes, “The sidewalk shed remains and the building’s façade remains unrepaired.”
This legal action underscores ongoing concerns about building safety in New York City, highlighting the challenges of enforcing building standards amidst a backdrop of deteriorating properties and the risk of structural failures.
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