City Sues Verizon Over Making Ugly Building Too Tall

Photo by Tien Mao

While AT&T takes a lot of heat for their horrific service here in New York, Verizon gets criticized constantly for putting up the most loathed building in the city — which practically sucks the soul out of the skyline (we are looking at it right now).

Located at 375 Pearl Street in Manhattan, the TriBeca Trib reports that the city is now suing Verizon and real estate company Taconic Investment Partners for $53 million. Allegedly the city lost that much money after what they claim were fraudulent dealings.

When they purchased the land and air rights from the city in 1972, "the agreement called for the phone company to give the city $17 million and to build Murry Bergtraum High School. But, the city says, New York Telephone built far more usable space—1.2 million square feet—than it said it would, thereby undervaluing the deal and shortchanging taxpayers."

They claim Verizon covered up illegal construction, and the scheme only came to light in 2007, when the company sold 29 of the 32 stories to Taconic for $172 million (a discounted price the city says the investment firm got as a direct result of Verizon's fraud). Unfortunately, this lawsuit could put an end to the renovation Taconic had planned, as the city is also asking for an injunction. [via Curbed]

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By Jen Carlson in News on January 4, 2010 4:18 PM

Comments [rss]

BklynsFinest

Yup an AssFace middle finger of a building. True. But it's been here for nearly 40 years, does it make sense to bitch about it when currently on the books there's plans to make much worse buildings in this city that aren't even up yet?

Really what are the options beside giving the verizon tower dirty looks? It's full of machinery that's why there are so few windows. Can't really redress it.

How bout keeping the bitching aimed at actionable offenses?

BklynsFinest

whoops! Didnt see that this is not just bitching but an attempt to get back tax dollars. Well yah. then fire away, maybe in 35 years we can sue the AtlanticYards/Barcleys Ctr for being the satchel shaped moneypit pile of shit we knew it would be.

thefacts

This was one of the first buildings to brand its name (Bell Atlantic) on the facade. Few have copied their abomination.

It's bad enough the building ruins the waterfront skyline, but the advertising we must endure is an enticement to use ATT instead, just to teach them a lesson.

Can you imagine how effed up our skyline if every tacky company decides to put their logo on all our buildings?

snessnyc

Once again, @thefacts gets The Facts wrong. First it was New York Telephone that branded it in 1972, not Bell Atlantic (NY Tel became NYNEX in 1994, which became Bell Atlantic in 1997, which became Verizon in 2000). Second, and more importantly, there were many branded buildings built well before this one: RCA (now GE) in 1933; Pan Am (now Met Life) in 1963; Newsweek (now Burberry's) in the '60s; and others. However, the point that @thefacts makes about branding the skyline is a good one.

Arthur

What is everyone's problem with this building. I dunno about you guys but I've kinda liked it ever since I was a kid and the old Bell Atlantic insignia was on it.

silver

Verizon brings actual jobs to this city, not desk jobs that can be moved to anywhere with tax credits, Exchange Place cough cough. I'll miss the Verizon logo that used to be on 1095 6th Avenue. If you wonder why the windows are so narrow, its because computer equipment and call centers doesn't need windows, workers look outdoors, and then you pay more to heat and cool the workers and the computers.

bond0007

I live in Chatham Green (Park Row) and my balcony is like a few hundred feet from this monstrosity. It needs to be demolished.

Splicer

Maybe somebody will fly a plane into it...or is that not what you mean?

Mordicai

Ugh, stupid ugly Verizon building. I was so glad when I started to find out how much everyone hates it. So much.

Splicer

If it ruins the view of Brooklyn hipsters then it is the finest building in all of Christendom.

tsol

It ruins the view from Dumbo/Brooklyn Heights so it's ruining things for Brooklyn yuppies, not hipsters, but your point is still valid!

Kevin Walsh

"While AT&T takes a lot of heat for their horrific service here in New York, Verizon gets criticized constantly for putting up the most loathed building in the city"

The Verizon building isn't THAT bad and is criticized mainly because it sticks out like a sore thumb, with no other contrasting towers around it. You might qualify it by saying it's the most loathed "skyscraper" in the city, and even then, you could find worse.

Now, here are some of the REALLY ugliest buildings in the city:

http://www.forgotten-ny.com/STREET%20SCENES/linden.place/linden.place.html

NannyState

You simply can't compare a few nasty low-rise apartments in Queens with the monumental shittiness multiplier that is the Verizon Tower. The fact that as if that banal nightmare wasn't horrible enough, verizon had to defacate on its side with its huge sign featuring The World's Worst Corporate Logo should have every NY'er hijacking airliners. Condemn the fucking thing and raze it. No need for any renovations.