UWS Developers File $25M Suit Over Holdout Tenant's 'Media Circus'

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — New owners of an Upper West Side building are suing a holdout tenant's legal team for waging a "media war" against the real-estate development company, court records show.

Naftali Group filed a $25 million suit Monday against Adam Leitman Bailey and his firm over publicity tactics used to represent Ahmet Nejat Ozsu, the only resident of 215 W. 84th St. to decline their recent buyout offer, the suit shows.

Developers bought the Upper West Side building for $70 million in 2021, planning to turn it into condominiums, but Ozsu foiled their plans by refusing to budge, according to the suit filed in Manhattan's supreme civil court.

Naftali argues Bailey mounted a media war when a quick settlement deal didn't come through, inviting reporters into Ozsu's home to force the developer's hand.

"Unable to quickly extract the seven-figure payout he expects, his lawyers ... have turned what should be a dispute settled according to the law into a multi-national media circus," the complaint contends.

"[The attorney have] taken the disreputable practice of holding out for payouts to new lows."

Bailey and his law firm did not immediately answer an email or phone call from Patch.

But Ozsu told multiple publications — including the New York Times, New York Post, and Daily Mail — developers are trying to force him out of a home in which he has the right to stay.

As an example, Ozsu told the New York Times the new building owner placed a noisy industrial air filter outside of his door as a means to bully him out of the apartment.

But the developers argue the filtration system was necessary to rid homes of construction dust and Ozsu crossed a line when he tried to get a worker arrested for installing it, the lawsuit shows.

"For ten minutes, Bailey demanded an arrest in front of the beleaguered employee," the complaint states. "For ten minutes the police officers refused, telling Bailey that his demand to arrest Plaintiffs' employee was ridiculous, before finally leaving with no arrest being made."

The lawsuit offers as proof that the developer's reputation was harmed by several comments posted to the New York Times article on Ozsu.

• "Solution, let a developer tear down a building with 128 apartments and replace it with 11 condos for Arab princes, Russian oligarchs, and the like."
• "I applaud anyone who stands up to greedy developers."
• "Boohoo, Naftali Group. I have zero sympathy for this billion dollar corporation, especially when parts of Manhattan have become veritable ghost towns full of pied a terres for the uber wealthy."

Developers — who are also suing the holdout tenant for $25 million — also point to several months of unpaid rent, but Ozsu argues he was protected by the Eviction Moratorium enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Previous court documents say that Ozsu has not paid rent since October 2021.

Finally, Naftali contends Bailey bragged about a bet he has on how long Ozsu will stay in the apartment and misrepresented the owner, and the project, to the media.

"Defendants have invited and arranged for various reporters to enter, tour and photograph Plaintiffs building," the complaint reads.

"Those members of the press unable to visit the property in person and repeatedly given quotes slandering Plaintiff with baseless allegations of harassment."

But the lawsuit does not levy defamation charges against Bailey and his firm, instead accuses Ozsu's attorneys of abuse of process and interference with economic advantage.

"Defendants' conduct in furtherance of its shake-down plan has and continues to interfere with Plaintiffs economic prospects," the suit reads. "Including the Planned Development."