Wall Street baron sues to keep Verizon Building redo from blocking his pad’s views

Wall Street’s top earner Richard Handler is going to court to stop the renovation of the former Verizon Building in Tribeca, claiming it will ruin the vistas from his nearby penthouse, DNAinfo reported.

Handler, who drew a $58 million pay package last year as CEO of investment firm Jefferies Group, is worried that the renovation project on the 32-story tower at 50 Varick Street  would affect the northwest view from his $23.7 million penthouse at 1 York Street. He purchased the apartment in 2010. 

A London-based advertising agency, Spring Studios, is looking to transform four floors of the former Verizon Building into a space that would include a rooftop lounge.

“The project will significantly obstruct the panoramic river views from [Handler’s] apartment,” according to Handler’s court filing, which states concerns about noise and light pollution.

In February, Handler’s lawyers met with a deputy commissioner at the Department of Buildings to express their concerns and to request an audit of Spring Studios’ plans. The commissioner has since assigned an officer to inspect the project, the petition states.

The DOB and Handler’s lawyers did not immediately respond to DNAinfo’s request for comment. Bradford Sussman, a lawyer for Spring Studios, told DNAinfo that as the tenant, “Spring Studios is not named or involved in this action. This is a matter between the landlord, the Department of Buildings and the complainant.” [DNAinfo]  –Hiten Samtani