Architects Behind Manhattan Building Settle Civil Rights Lawsuit

BATTERY PARK CITY, NY — Federal prosecutors have settled a civil rights lawsuit that they filed against the architects of a Battery Park City high-rise, who they accused of designing a building inaccessible to people with disabilities.

The lawsuit, which was filed by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Manhattan, alleged that The Verdesian, an apartment complex, was inaccessible to prospective tenants with disabilities. The 253-unit complex, located at 211 North End Ave., was not in compliance with the Fair Housing Act, the federal law which prohibits discrimination in housing, according to the suit. The design of the building included "numerous inaccessible features, including excessively high thresholds interfering with accessible routes in the public and common areas as well as into and within individual units, and insufficient widths, clearance, and clear floor space in bedrooms, bathrooms, closets, and kitchens for maneuvering by people who use wheelchairs," prosecutors said.

As part of the settlement, the architecture firm will pay a small civil penalty of $30,000 and establish a protocol to ensure that ongoing and future projects comply with the Fair Housing Act. The consent decree was officially entered on Wednesday.

In a separate settlement, reached between prosecutors and the building's developers, developers agreed to pay a civil penalty of $45,000 and make "retrofits" to the Verdesian. (For more news from Tribeca and the Financial District, subscribe to Patch for free news alerts and updates.)

Lead image via Patch.