Film producer Tony Krantz has filed a lawsuit against the owner of one of New York City’s most expensive rentals, reports the New York Post.
In his suit, the producer of films like Felicity and Mulholland Drive claims that the $100,000-a-month townhouse at 214 Lafayette Street does not have a legal fire escape, a hazardous code violation. He adds that the owner of the 13,000-square-foot Soho house, where Beyonce recorded the music video for her 2008 hit "Halo," created an easement through an unlawful land grab to compensate for the lack of fire escape. The easement cuts across land from Krantz’s neighboring duplex on Crosby Street to a nearby parking lot that he also owns. The easement was registered unbeknownst to him in 2014.
In the $10 million suit, Krantz states that the unlawful land grab is not only the equivalent of trespassing, but it also damages the value of his two properties. Another issue that Krantz raises is the safety of the tenants.
"Defendant regularly rents 214 Lafayette to tenants for over $1 million in rent without a legal fire escape, exposing defendant to serious civil and criminal liability," his suit stated.
According to public records, the house was owned by Hollywood director Marcus Nispel before being transferred to an LLC in 2012. In addition to being the site for Beyonce’s video, the townhouse has also been featured in John Mayer’s "Who Says" video, Kate Beckinsale’s 2008 Esquire photo shoot, and has an amazing 40-foot pool.