BlackHouse Development co-founder Sean Ludwick was arrested and charged with DWI and leaving the scene of an accident for his alleged role in a fatal car wreck in Sag Harbor over the weekend.
Citing police statements, multiple outlets reported that Ludwick was driving with local Douglas Elliman broker Paul Hansen when, around 2 a.m. Sunday, he lost control and crashed his Porsche into a utility pole, killing Hansen.
Ludwick, who in 2014 told The Real Deal that he had a portfolio containing more than 30 buildings in New York, admitted to assault and battery earlier this year in a case involving an attack on his girlfriend and damage at the property in which they were staying.
BlackHouse was involved in plans to build the 47-story Hudson Rise condo-hotel project at Hudson Yards with Kuafu Properties and Siras Development. The partnership between Ludwick and Siras’ principals Saif Sumaida and Ashwin Verma eventually went sour, with both sides filing lawsuits.
Kuafu eventually pulled took steps to break up the arrangement, with plans to foreclose on itself and its partners, and rebid on the property. The Chinese developer distanced itself from Ludwick, citing his “problematic behavior.” [Patch] – Ariel Stulberg