Oct 13, 2009 7:31 pm US/Eastern
Legal Battle Brewing Over De Niro's NYC Penthouse
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
It has all the makings of a blockbuster movie, but a real-life legal battle is building between actor Robert De Niro and the City's Landmarks Preservation Commission over a penthouse on top of a hotel the Academy Award-winning actor partially owns.
The Commission said the actor's penthouse was built on the high-end 88-room Greenwich Hotel's roof in upscale Tribeca without City approval. Some neighbors aren't happy about it.
"There's no reason he should be different from anybody else," one resident said.
In June of 2008, the Commission met with De Niro's business partners and the penthouse architects. They were told to modify the structure because it was too large with a non-approved roof design that can be seen from the street.
Spokeswoman Elizabeth de Bourbon of the Landmarks Preservation Commission said: "Members of our staff have had ongoing discussions with (the owner and architectural team) about this application to legalize the penthouse. No date for another public meeting to present the revisions that were requested by the Commission in June 2008 has been set."
So the matter is still up in the air.
"I don't think he personally was involved. I think probably the people that he hires figured to throw his name around to get away with it," said neighbor Anne Compaccia.
"I think he can getaway with anything, he's Robert De Niro," said neighbor Benjamin.
If changes are not made, the Commission could fine De Niro or ultimately order the penthouse taken down.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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