Rosa v. 600 Broadway Partners, LLC

175 F. Supp. 3d 191, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 42272, 2016 WL 1276448
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedMarch 30, 2016
Docket13 Civ. 6390 (PGG)
StatusPublished
Cited by25 cases

This text of 175 F. Supp. 3d 191 (Rosa v. 600 Broadway Partners, LLC) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Rosa v. 600 Broadway Partners, LLC, 175 F. Supp. 3d 191, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 42272, 2016 WL 1276448 (S.D.N.Y. 2016).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION & ORDER

PAUL G. GARDEPHE, United States District Judge:

Plaintiff Dedra De La Rosa alleges that Defendants 600 Broadway Partners, LLC, (“600 Broadway Partners”) and J.M. Hol-lister (“Hollister”) discriminated against her in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq., the New York State Executive Law, the New York State Civil Rights Law (“NYSCRL”), and the New York City Administrative Code. She claims, inter alia, that she encountered multiple barriers to accessibility during her visits to Defendants’ store, located at 600 Broadway in Manhattan.

Defendants have moved for summary judgment on all claims. (Dkt. No. 77) For the reasons stated below, Defendants’ motion will be granted in part and denied in part.

BACKGROUND

I. FACTS

In 1973, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (the “Landmarks Commission”) designated an area encompassing 600 Broadway as the “Soho Cast-Iron Historic District.” (Pltf. R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 81) ¶ l)1 In late 2007, Hollister began leasing retail space at 600 Broadway.2 (Pltf. R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 81) ¶ 3) Hollister decided to “rehabilitate” the space prior to opening its store. (Id.) On April 22, 2008, 600 Broadway Partners obtained a permit from the Landmarks Commission authorizing the following work:

interior alterations ... at the subcellar through the third floor levels, including the demolition and construction of non-bearing partitions and finishes; the removal of sections of floor slabs; the construction of stairs and an elevator shaft; structural work, relating to the removal of sections of the floor slabs and construction of stairs and [an] elevator shaft; and mechanical and plumbing work.

(Parker Deck (Dkt. No. 81-2), Ex. G (LPC Permit) at 2)3 On May 21, 2008, the New York City Department of Buildings issued a permit authorizing “interior structural work.” (Smith Decl. (Dkt. No. 79-2), Ex. B (Department of Buildings Permit))

Before Hollister took possession of the property, 600 Broadway Partners “re-mov[ed] the existing sidewalk, grillage or steel work, and had it refurbished, [or] reinstalled, with [a] new glass block installed within the steel work.” (Smith Dep. (Dkt. No. 79-6) 14:4-21) As a result of this [197]*197work, there is a “slight slope on the sidewalk leading up to the entrance, and a slight elevation change upon entry.” (Pltf. R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 81) ¶ 21; see also Smith Decl. (Dkt. No. 79-2); Mifsud Decl. (Dkt. No. 79-11) ¶ 6) 600 Broadway also has a rear exit, but it “is not open to the public and is not intended for customer use.” (Pltf. R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 81) ¶47) “Absent emergency, customers are only permitted to enter and exit through the front door on Broadway Street. ” (Id. ¶ 48)

The store has one sales counter, or “cash wrap,” that is located on the second floor. (See Mifsud Deck (Dkt. No. 79-11) ¶ 5; De La Rosa Dep. (Dkt. No. 81-6) 17:13-20:4) When Hollister assumed possession of the property, there was an existing historic elevator located near the center of the store. (Pltf. R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 81) ¶ 26) Hollister installed a second, ADA-compliant elevator, which is located toward the back of the store. (Pltf. R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 81) ¶¶ 37-38) Hollister designated the new elevator for employee use — specifically, to assist with “bring[ing] merchandise from the stockroom to the sales floor.” (Shilling Dep. (Dkt. No. 81-8) 35:22-36:23) Hollister decided to use the historic elevator as “the primary customer elevator.”4 (Pltf. R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 81) ¶ 40) Since the historic elevator “was not being fully utilized by the previous tenant,” Hollister “refurbished [it] and brought it up to code to the fullest extent possible,” but that elevator is still “not ... fully ADA-compliant.” (Smith Deck Dkt. No. 79-2 Because the historic elevator is manually operated, customers require employee assistance to use it. (See Smith Deck (Dkt. No. 79-2); Shilling Dep. (Dkt. No. 81-8) 34:23-35:16)

In July 2008, Hollister opened its store to the public. (Pltf. R. 56.1 Stmt. (Dkt. No. 81) ¶ 5) Between 2010 and 2014, Plaintiff— who resides in New York City (Am. Cmplt. (Dkt. No. 50) 11 5) — visited the store on four occasions. (De La Rosa Dep. (Dkt. No. 81-6) 15:19-16:12, 36:11-19) During each visit, Plaintiff — who uses a wheelchair — encountered barriers that prevented her from independently navigating the store, including a lack of elevator access,5 and narrow and partially obstructed aisles, (Id. 17:13-19:2, 21:21-22:24, 33:23-34:17, 37:4-42:6) Plaintiff was told that there was not “a way for [her] to get up the stairs ” to the second floor of the store. (Id 19:14-20:4) She also found it “very difficult to maneuver” through the store. (Id. 18:7-17)

II. ALLEGED DEFICIENCIES

The Complaint was filed on September 11, 2013, and lists thirty-eight “[b]arriers to access that plaintiff encountered and/or which exist at the defendants’ place of public accommodation.” (Cmplt. (Dkt. No. 1) ¶30) On December 30, 2014, Plaintiff filed the Amended Complaint, which lists forty-nine barriers to access in Defendants’ store. (Am. Cmplt. (Dkt. No. 50) ¶ 29)

At an April 20, 2015 conference, the Court directed Plaintiff “to submit ... a very clear statement of what is necessary for the building to come into compliance with the ADA.” (Apr. 20, 2015 Conf. Tr. (Dkt. No. 86) 8:6-22) The Court informed the parties that Plaintiffs statement “will be the backdrop against which the defendants’ motion for summary judgment will be measured.” (Id.)

On April 23, 2015, Plaintiff submitted a letter in response to the Court’s directive. [198]*198(See Apr. 23, 2015 Pltf. Ltr. (Dkt. No. 66)) The letter “provide[s] to the Court and the defendants a list of deficiencies and plaintiffs proposed accessibility modifications.” (Id. at 1) Plaintiff identifies eight deficiencies: (1) the front door entrance is inaccessible due to a one-and-a-half-inch “change in elevation (he.],] small step) at the front entrance”; (2) “[t]he ground-floor space in front of the entrance door does not contain a minimum of 60 inches of level perpendicular ground space”; (3) “[t]he ground-floor [e]ast exit has two doors in a series and both doors have steps ”; (4) “]t]here is no accessible elevator to transport a disabled customer between the first and second floors”; (5) the store “lacks signage ... indicating the location of the elevator for use by disabled customers”; (6) “[t]he sales and service counters lack an accessible portion of the counter that is no greater than 36 inches in height and at least 36 inches long”; (7) “[t]he customer path of travel throughout the store is less than 36 inches wide in numerous locations because of merchandise displays, a decorative ladder, and clothing racks”; and (8) accessible dressing rooms lack International Symbol of Accessibility (“ISA”) signs. (Id. at 1-3)

DISCUSSION

I. SUMMARY JUDGMENT STANDARD

Summary judgment is warranted where the moving party shows that “there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact” and that that party “is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed. R. Civ. P.

Related

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Bluebook (online)
175 F. Supp. 3d 191, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 42272, 2016 WL 1276448, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rosa-v-600-broadway-partners-llc-nysd-2016.