Upper West Side Landlord Ordered to Stop Renting Rooms to Tourists

An Upper West Side landlord running his residential building like a hotel was ordered Wednesday to cease accepting reservations.

Five long-term, rent-stabilized tenants of the Imperial Court Hotel located at 307 W. 79th St., filed a lawsuit against the owners of the Imperial Court Hotel because their business practices were causing "harm and discomfort," according to court documents acquired by Patch.

"The Defendants are currently operating the Imperial Court Hotel as an illegal hotel by renting approximately half of the building's 227 to transient guests staying less than 30 days despite that the Multiple Dwelling Law forbids this practice," the lawsuit claims.

New York Supreme Court Justice Kathryn Freed signed a restraining order preventing the building owners from taking new reservations for the hotel, the plaintiff's lawyer Rachel Hannaford told Patch.

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As a result of the short-term renting, the living conditions for permanent residents have deteriorated, claimed the lawsuit. The plaintiffs cited multiple grievances in the lawsuit such as the fact that guests leave garbage in the hallways, guests leave common areas trashed, guests hold distruptive parties and that the hotel linen service takes up one of the building's elevators. Residents have access to one just elevator for 227 rooms, the lawsuit claims.

Wednesday's ruling isn't the first time the owners of the Imperial Court Hotel have been penalized. In May the city hit them with a fine of $65,000 for building code violations Hannaford told Patch.

"Both the city and the tenants are upset and complaining about the illegal activity," Hannaford said.

But the website for the Imperial Court Hotel paints a much different picture than the lawsuit.

"The Imperial Court Hotel, with its grand marbled lobby, offers newly decorated and well appointed accommodations for the business or vacationing traveler who requires a seven day stay or longer. Imperial Court is a unique hotel, appealing to those who do not want to stay amid the hustle and bustle of congested Midtown. Yet they expect front desk and security service, room service, two elevators, laundry room, and baggage storage," reads the description on the hotel's first page.

The plaintiffs are unsure what the owners of the Imperial Court Hotel will do if they are ordered to cease allowing any rentals under 30 days, Hannaford told Patch. The defendant's lawyers claimed that it would not be financially possible to run the building if all the units were used for rent-stabilized single room occupancy, Hannaford said.

The next court appearance for the lawsuit has been scheduled for July 26.

Patch has also obtained photos used as exhibits in the lawsuit, so you can check out a few grandiose scenes of the Imperial Court Hotel yourself.

[Photo: Google Maps street view]