Notorious Hell’s Kitchen landlord sued by city over dangerous conditions
The city has filed a lawsuit against Mark Tress, a Hell’s Kitchen building owner regarded as one of New York’s “worst landlord,” for allegedly neglecting “dangerous conditions” at his property, the abandoned Windermere building.
Decade-long neglect
For over a decade, residents and city officials have raised concerns about falling debris and other hazards at the Windermere. The New York Department of Buildings (DOB) said Tress ignored years of orders to correct hazards since he bought the building in 2009.
“The Windermere should be considered an architectural treasure for our city, but unfortunately the owners have allowed the property to fall into deep disrepair and have kept the building shrouded behind a sidewalk shed and fence for years,” New York City Buildings Commissioner Jimmy Oddo told the New York Post.
The city is calling for Tress to address hundreds of code infractions. The landlord is facing civil penalties of $1,000 per day per building for violations. The DOB added that there are other fines ranging in the thousands for failing to file inspection reports and for maintaining sidewalk sheds without making repairs.
Impact on the community
Philip Dalgarno, a bankruptcy lawyer and neighborhood resident, described the impact of the neglected building on the community. “It’s slowed down the development of this entire block — the commercial business on the other side of Ninth Avenue, closer to 56th Street, were empty for well over a year after I moved in almost two years ago,” Dalgarno told the Post. “There were people sleeping under the scaffolding — just generally something that was hindering the neighborhood from being a little bit more livable. I think it’s a good thing if they’re cracking down on it.”
Legal and regulatory response
The most recent lawsuit was filed under the New York Mayor’s Get Sheds Down program, which established a new set of sidewalk shed rules introduced in 2023. Windermere Properties LLC already pleaded guilty in a 2022 criminal case related to maintaining the building, but the property owner has continued to disregard city warnings. The DOB stated, “The sidewalk shed has remained in place and the façade has remained un-fixed.”
This lawsuit comes amid broader concerns about building safety in New York City, with officials noting the risks of collapse in certain boroughs and the overall sinking of the city under the weight of its buildings. The Windermere case highlights the persistent issue of negligent landlords and the city’s efforts to enforce building safety standards.
