In a neighborhood used to market jitters, not rattling walls, Time Equities has hauled its construction manager, Hunter Roberts Construction Group, into state court, claiming shoddy curtain wall work at 50 West left residents living with constant rattles and other intrusive noises. The developer is seeking about $2 million to fix what it calls façade and window defects at the Financial District tower.
Developer points to faulty curtain wall work
The state court complaint names Hunter Roberts as construction manager and identifies Permasteelisa North American Corporation as the subcontractor that handled the curtain wall. Time Equities alleges that gaskets were either too long for the mullions or installed backwards, which it says produced "a variety of excessive noises." The filing also claims an incorrectly sized window was installed and that one glazing pane broke.
According to The Real Deal, Time Equities is suing for breach of contract and is seeking roughly $2,000,000 in damages tied to the alleged construction issues.
Where 50 West stands now
50 West is a sculptural glass tower on the Hudson-side edge of the Financial District. The Skyscraper Center lists it as a 64-story building with about 191 residential units and notes Hunter Roberts and Permasteelisa among the firms on the project team.
Despite the alleged defects, the tower has still posted headline-grabbing rents. Listings site StreetEasy shows that a penthouse at 50 West was rented for $65,000 a month in April 2023.
Attempts to fix fell short, suit says
According to the complaint, Time Equities and the contractors agreed in 2022 on a plan to inject silicon into the gaskets and to tackle the problems apartment by apartment. The lawsuit says that work ultimately covered only portions of the façade and three units, leaving broader issues unresolved.
As reported by The Real Deal, the developer claims the subcontractor has refused to carry out further remedial work and that the suit was filed shortly before the statute of limitations was set to expire.
Legal implications
The case is framed as a straight breach of contract claim that seeks roughly $2,000,000 to cover repairs and warranty obligations, rather than as a design defect or fraud action. In disputes like this, outcomes can range from court-ordered remediation or replacement work to pure monetary damages, although many curtain wall fights ultimately end in negotiated settlements before a judge ever has to rule on the nuts and bolts.
What's next
The case will move forward in state court, a process that could surface detailed repair proposals or potential settlement terms in future filings. At the time of initial coverage, neither the construction manager nor the subcontractor had issued a public response to the allegations. Court records and any statements from the parties are likely to shape the next chapter in this very New York standoff over how quiet a luxury tower should really be.
