For Grace and Jesse Fulton the search for the perfect New York condo stopped when they came across the beautiful 10-storey midtown Manhattan brick condop, a condominium building with separate commercial and residential units, located at 142 East 49th Street. With its impressive neo-classical stone entrance, the couple was seduced by the elegant 1924 pre-war building and its five picturesque flower-box windows that feature on each floor. The compact proportions of the apartment and its central location meant that the couple could easily maintain the apartment while having enough room to enjoy life. The couple’s joy soon turned to concern as construction meant to maintain and beautify their beloved condo began to drag on.
Construction on the 45-unit building began in March 2017. The couple initially embraced the planned renewal work. Coming home to the charms of the condo they loved soon became tinged with sadness and eventually with dismay. The chic facade and classic New York sidewalks are now filled with construction equipment that has been encamped at the locations for years and scaffolding completely impedes the entrance. Answers about the project’s progress or its hoped for conclusions are elusive. Tenants have been left not only heartbroken, but worried about the building that once fulfilled their dreams.
Prior to the construction work beginning, the building had been such an attractive location that it caught the eye of Blo Blow Dry Bar, a celebrity-owned chain of salons. The never ending construction saw the salon relocate in 2019.
“It’s like a bad facelift,” explains Grace Fulton. “This construction was supposed to leave the building looking better and should have been over years ago. There’s been no progress for years. The facade that was once sweet and full of charm now features bricks that are broken and cracked and stone that is badly in need of repair. We know we aren’t the only residents of New York dealing with interminable construction, but it’s been a struggle for us. We bought our condo because we truly fell in love with the beauty of the building but for more than five years we haven’t been able to enjoy the charms that this pre-war building once exuded. We’re now left wondering if the building is even structurally sound. We’re unsure of where to turn for answers or help.”
For more information about the plight of the residents of 142 East 49th Street, please visit www.voicenyc.org.
For the latest information, news, and updates on the ongoing situation, follow @voicenyc on Twitter.
About Voice NYC
For more than 20 years, married couple, Grace and Jesse Fulton have explored all that New York offers. During their adventures, they fell in love with Midtown Manhattan and the adorable pre-war condop at 142 East 49th Street. For the last 5 years, they have banded together with other residents of their building to demand answers about the completion of the construction project. Along with several residents, Grace and Jesse have come together to form Voice NYC, a group that advocates for New York’s residential condos and empowers their owners.
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