Guttman Properties Continue Woes
August 20th, 2007
NY Post looks at the Brooklyn landlord Joshua Guttman’s outstanding fines, “suspicious blazes”, and lawsuits. He owns several buildings in Dumbo, including 155 Water Street, 53 Bridge Street, and 50 Bridge Street (above photo). According to the NY Post article, Mr. Guttman owes the city at least $59,000 in unpaid Dept of Building fines and over $52,000 in outstanding property taxes. If a developer has outstanding fines, why is the city allowing the landlord to build? The article states:
Guttman especially has critics in DUMBO, where he owes close to $40,000 of his unpaid DOB fines and is being sued for $36 million by condo owners at 50 Bridge St. for allegedly shoddy construction. DUMBO residents with horror stories say Guttman:
- Built a garage off Pearl Street for his business vehicles – a garage that doesn’t exist on tax maps because the city doesn’t know it’s there.
- Regularly ignores stop-work orders – including at sites where complaints surfaced of unsafe asbestos removal and falling construction debris.
Am I naive to think that Guttman should just pay off his fines and work under the guidelines of the NYC building codes so critics won’t continue to give him negative publicity?
{Blaze-site Developer Unscarred By Penalties, 20Aug2007, NY Post}
{NYC.gov BIS: 53 Bridge St.}
{NYC.gov BIS: 155 Water St.}
Previously on DumboNYC:
{155 Water Street}
{53 Bridge Street}
{50 Bridge Street}
August 20th, 2007 at 1:24 pm
You’re talking about someone who has had more (high profile) propeties burn down than bad luck and coincidence can explain. And you expect him to play by the rules? For some developers not paying fines and taxes is a badge of honor, Scr*e the City trying to tell them what to do or how to do it. All they care about is squeezing every single penny out of a property, fines and taxes cut into the bottom line too much.
August 20th, 2007 at 1:46 pm
NYC is not only loosing money owed to them, but the poor residents who live in the landlord’s buildings are suffering financially.
August 20th, 2007 at 2:59 pm
Did you know that I have over $500.00 in unpaid DUMBO issued parking tickets? I am such a rebel!
August 20th, 2007 at 4:25 pm
This giant f*cker shouldn’t be allowed to build anymore.
What the hell is wrong with the DOB? Can the AG get involved?
August 20th, 2007 at 5:10 pm
following the greenpoint blaze the call-in shows were swamped with dumbo tenants reporting harassment, intimidation, and worse.
his scare tactics are as well publicized as his penchant for arson.
why is this known criminal allowed to stay his merry course?
August 22nd, 2007 at 3:39 pm
Guttman has just resumed work on the bottom two floors of 50 Bridge this week too. What ever happened to that tenant lawsuit?
January 26th, 2010 at 11:00 am
I have not much time, but I've got many useful things here, love it!
April 12th, 2010 at 10:02 pm
a total waste, bloomberg knows he could recoup alot of money for the city by making the DOB inforce these fine payments, here it's almost 11 years later and this slum-landlord goes on like nothings ever happened.
April 12th, 2010 at 10:05 pm
a total waste here it is almost 11 years later, and this slum-landlord still goes on like everything is normal, bloomberg knows the city loses money because of people like this slum-landlord, but does he make the DOB inact people like gutterman to pay their fines? nooope. saga continues.
April 13th, 2010 at 2:02 am
a total waste, bloomberg knows he could recoup alot of money for the city by making the DOB inforce these fine payments, here it's almost 11 years later and this slum-landlord goes on like nothings ever happened.
April 13th, 2010 at 2:05 am
a total waste here it is almost 11 years later, and this slum-landlord still goes on like everything is normal, bloomberg knows the city loses money because of people like this slum-landlord, but does he make the DOB inact people like gutterman to pay their fines? nooope. saga continues.