The fate of the tower located at 432 Park Avenue in New York reminds us of the young actresses whose first roles propelled them prematurely onto the Hollywood firmament, before a scandal enveloped them in infamy and ruined their lives forever. Located at the southeast corner of Central Park, this very slender square tower is one totem of a row of buildings that border the southern edge of Central Park called “Billionaires Row.” In this “billionaire’s alley” many skyscrapers flourished in the mid-2010s redefining skyline – skyline – city.
In 2015, the year of its delivery, the tower was considered a record-breaking tower: the tallest tower ever built for housing (426 meters, 102 floors), but also the thinnest, with a width-to-height ratio of 1/15 (compared to 1/3 for the Empire State Building, for example). And for the delight of its residents, a 25-meter swimming pool and spa, a billiards room, a cinema room, a restaurant with a star chef… Pop star Jennifer Lopez or baseball champion Alex Rodriguez bought ruby-on-the-nail apartments there.
Ten years later, the myth collapsed. In April, the co-owners filed a lawsuit in New York State Supreme Court, accusing the developers of this“deliberate fraud with serious consequences”. About a hundred errors were counted on the facade. Small pieces even fell on the floor above. When the wind blows, the tower sways so hard New York Times in a highly detailed investigation published in October, the “The water in the bathtub creates waves”. Residents wake up at night to the sound of creaking structures, experience repeated water leaks and elevator breakdowns, plumbing and electrical problems, etc.
You have 82.15% of this article left to read. The remainder is provided to customers.
