With Tishman Speyer turning the screws on market rate tenants at Stuy Town/Peter Cooper Village, you knew it was only a matter of time before the stabilized tenants got the business, too. Sure enough, the Sun reports that the new landlord has brought in a private eye to investigate tenants who are under suspicion of violating the stabilization laws. That private eye, Fred Knapp, was the subject of a totally awesome Times profile in 1988 that began thusly:
Sam Spade, he's not. Fred D. Knapp is a modern private investigator, skilled in the use of the computer modem and the art of searching public records. Because he operates in New York City in the late 1980's, his prey is a particular local species: the illegal rent-regulated tenant.If he was skilled in the use of a computer modem 19 years ago, you can only imagine what sort of crazy methods he's using today. Folks, if you're illegally harboring a rent-stabilized Stuy Town two-bedroom apartment, run.
· Private Eyes Will Prowl Apartments [NYSun]
· Happy New Year from Tishman Speyer! [Curbed]