Soho Penthouse Owner Sues Over 'Fear' Caused By Rooftop Bar

The owner of the penthouse at 54 Thompson Street has brought a lawsuit against the building's ground-floor restaurant, which he says is operating an illegal rooftop bar that has caused him distress equivalent to $1.5 million. Rocco Vogel purchased his "dream penthouse," the sprawling 7,364-square-foot pad, for $10.5 million in 2014. But since, Vogel says ground floor restaurant Pera has commandeered a portion of the rooftop for a bar. Vogel told the Post that "[i]ntoxicated and other persons, while traveling to and from the rooftop bar, have attempted to exit the elevator," with him at his apartment, "causing fear and apprehension." Vogel alleges, too, that the elevator has turned into a regular ol' pig pen, with "regularly spill drinks and discard trash in the elevator, causing unsightly and unsanitary conditions."

The lawsuit alleges that the restaurant only has permission to serve liquor on the ground floor, and Vogel even goes further to say that Pera "permits and condones smoking by patrons of both tobacco products and marijuana." A neighbor interviewed by the Post says that they understand why Vogel's upset, given what he paid for the apartment, but that the Vogels "complain about everyone."
· 'Illegal' rooftop bar is ruining my $10.5M penthouse: suit [NYP]
· All Lawsuits coverage [Curbed]