Opal Holdings hit with $10M suit over construction damage

Second Avenue Deli owner Jeremy Lebewohl has filed a lawsuit for $10 million saying that his residential building in the East Village has been damaged by work on a nearby development.

He says in the suit that the work Opal Holdings is doing on its mixed-use project at 644 East 14th Street has led to cracks in the walls and inoperable metal doors in his building at 642 East 14th Street, according to Commercial Observer.

Rabsky Group bought the neighboring property at 644 East 14th Street for $15 million in 2014 and sold it to Opal in 2016 for $23 million. Opal is planning a 15-story, 50-unit mixed-use building on the site.

The suit says Opal tried to cut costs on the project by driving piles for the foundation too close to Lebewohl’s building, which led to the damages.

Lebewohl is also asking for Opal to stop construction until repairs and a risk assessment are complete at his building. [CO] – Eddie Small