An appellate court in Manhattan has ruled that the owner of Chelsea's historic Hopper-Gibbons House must go ahead of the Landmarks Preservation Commission regarding a fifth-story addition allegedly constructed without permits and the okay of the LPC, the Daily News and TRD report. Homeowner Tony Mamounas's forthcoming appearance in front of the Landmarks Preservation Commission will be to seek retroactive approval for the completed fifth-story addition to 339 West 29th Street, Manhattan's last remaining Underground Railroad site that was landmarked within the Lamartine Historic District in 2012. Mamounas originally began the addition prior to 2009, when the Department of Buildings revoked permits for the project for an issue unrelated to the historic district. Mamounas resumed construction on the addition following the home's landmarks designation without seeking approval from the LPC. Now, Mamounas may be tasked to remove the addition by the LPC.
The ruling may come as a triumph to preservationists, but if Mamounas's past actions are any indicator of what will happen next in this ongoing saga, he won't go down without a fight. TRD reports that Mamounas is considering taking the case to the New York Court of Appeals.
· Owner of Chelsea townhouse possibly associated with Underground Railroad may need to tear down fifth-floor addition [NYDN]
· Historic Hopper-Gibbons house owner loses appeal over penthouse [TRD]
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