Berenger v. 261 West LLC

93 A.D.3d 175, 940 N.Y.S.2d 4
CourtAppellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York
DecidedFebruary 2, 2012
StatusPublished
Cited by37 cases

This text of 93 A.D.3d 175 (Berenger v. 261 West LLC) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Berenger v. 261 West LLC, 93 A.D.3d 175, 940 N.Y.S.2d 4 (N.Y. Ct. App. 2012).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Catterson, J.

This action for, inter alia, trespass and nuisance arises out of alleged emanations of noise and glycol, a liquid antifreeze, from a cooling tower located on the roof of a condominium on West [178]*17828th Street in Manhattan. This causes us once again to reiterate the elements of those common-law claims. The plaintiffs purchased a penthouse unit in the condominium on November 15, 2006 from defendant, 261 West LLC, the sponsor of Onyx Chelsea Condominium, pursuant to a purchase agreement and offering plan. The defendants Bronfman and Haymes are members of 261 West LLC, and, along with defendant Curty, also members of the board of managers of the Onyx Chelsea Condominium.

Among other provisions, the offering plan set forth the rights and obligations of the sponsor, 261 West. The plan stated that the sponsor “will correct, repair, or replace any and all defects relating to construction of the [b]uilding, [cjommon [elements or the [Residential [u]nits,” and that “nothing contained in this section will be construed so as to render sponsor liable for money damages (whether based on negligence, breach of contract, breach of warranty, or otherwise).”

The following facts are established in the record: On January 24, 2005, Cerami and Associates (hereinafter referred to as Cerami), an acoustical engineering firm, prepared a report for the management company containing recommendations for the building. The report expressed concern that sound transmission from the cooling tower on the rooftop to the penthouse windows would not meet building code requirements. Cerami noted that although there were no specific code requirements for the terrace, a level of 65 dBA would interfere with conversation.1 Based on the manufacturer’s data, Cerami estimated that the noise level on the terrace would be 70 dBA and recommended installing the “manufacturer’s intake package” in order to reduce the noise. In a November 10, 2006 follow-up report, Cerami noted that 261 West did not install the recommended noise reduction package and reiterated the necessity of the package to meet the building code requirements.

It is undisputed that the offering plan did not depict the cooling tower in architectural renderings nor the penthouse floor plan. However, the plaintiffs testified at deposition that they visited the unit a number of times prior to closing, and plaintiff Harris testified that she saw the tower during a pre-closing inspection. The plaintiffs purchased the penthouse unit and commenced occupancy in December 2007.

Beginning on March 13, 2008, the plaintiffs e-mailed a series of complaints to the managing agent about the noise emanating [179]*179from the cooling tower. On June 23, 2008, the plaintiffs’ counsel sent a letter to Haymes, then president of the condominium board, advising him of the plaintiffs’ noise complaints, and demanding immediate correction of the problem. Counsel sent another letter to Haymes on July 3, 2008, reiterating the complaints and alleging noise levels of 85 dBA.

On or around July 31, 2008, the plaintiffs filed a complaint with the New York Attorney General’s Office, alleging, inter alia, “unacceptable decibel levels,” which was forwarded to counsel for 261 West. On December 8, 2008, Cerami sent a letter to the New York Attorney General’s Office stating that its test of the cooling tower area revealed no noise violations. In an affidavit, the plaintiffs’ licensed engineer stated that on June 10, 2009, the decibel level was 78 to 80 dBA in violation of the noise ordinance and building code.

The record also indicates that from September 12 to December 3, 2008, the plaintiffs sent four complaints to the managing agent about leaks in their apartment. On June 5, 2009, the plaintiffs e-mailed the managing agent complaining about “foul smells” emanating from their vents, and the sound of running water in the pipes. On June 8, 2009, the plaintiffs sent another e-mail to the managing agent stating that they learned that glycol was leaking from the cooling tower. They attributed the odor in the penthouse, which had been ongoing since January 2009, to the glycol. The e-mail also advised the managing agent that a hazardous materials representative from the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (hereinafter referred to as DEP) inspected the leak and confirmed the presence of glycol. DEP instructed the mechanical corporation to clean up the area and repair the leak.

In an affidavit, the mechanical corporation attested that it began repairing the cooling tower on June 9, 2009. On June 12, 2009, the Department of Health issued a notice of violation to 261 West which listed, inter alia, “some form of condensation noted dripping from a drainpipe out of the roof on the apt [sic] below, bubbling paint noted in the study area and odor noted.”

On June 16, 2009, the plaintiffs again e-mailed the managing agent complaining about the odor. On June 23, 2009, the plaintiffs’ chemical engineers sent a letter to them reporting a strong glycol odor around the cooling tower and in the plaintiffs’ unit.

On July 29, 2009, the plaintiffs commenced this lawsuit against 261 West, Bronfman, Curty, Haymes, Onyx Chelsea Con[180]*180dominium, the board of managers for the Onyx Chelsea Condominium (hereinafter referred to as the condo board), and managing agents BH 261 Manager LLC, alleging causes of action for trespass, nuisance, fraud and misrepresentation, and breach of fiduciary duty.2 The plaintiffs also sought punitive damages and injunctive relief. Also on July 29, 2009, an air-conditioning consultant sent a letter to the managing agent confirming that the repairs were satisfactory. In an affidavit dated August 6, 2009, a representative of the mechanical corporation stated that the repairs “stopped the leak and prevented further leakage.”

On August 10, 2009, the DEP issued a report noting that on June 26, 2009, the cooling tower was leaking glycol and that the “odors . . . were most likely from the glycol that was spilled and had spilled in past incidents.” On August 11, 2009, the New York City Environmental Control Board (hereinafter referred to as ECB) issued a notice of noise code violation. The violation noted that the decibel level inside the plaintiffs’ penthouse was 55 dBA, exceeding the 42 dBA permissible under Administrative Code of the City of New York § 24-227 (a) and (b). The plaintiffs amended their complaint on August 19, 2009, and on September 2, 261 West offered to install a sound attenuator on the cooling tower to alleviate the noise.

Defendants 261 West, Haymes, Bronfman and Curty moved for summary judgment dismissing all of the claims against them. Insofar as relevant, the court granted summary judgment only to the extent of dismissing the claims for punitive damages.

On appeal, the defendants contend that the plaintiffs’ trespass and nuisance claims are in effect a breach of contract claim and, under the terms of the offering plan, monetary damages are not available. They also argue that there was only a single glycol leak, which was repaired. The defendants further argue that the Martin Act preempts the fraud and misrepresentation claims, since they are based on the plaintiffs’ allegation that they acquired the penthouse in reliance on omissions in the offering plan. They also assert that there are no grounds upon which Bronfman, Curty, and Haymes may be held liable.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
93 A.D.3d 175, 940 N.Y.S.2d 4, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/berenger-v-261-west-llc-nyappdiv-2012.