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Wednesday, March 27, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Neighbor Wants Madonna|to Turn Down the Volume

MANHATTAN (CN) - Madonna's upstairs neighbor says she had to move out of her apartment on West 64th Street because of the "intrusive and excessive noise" and "stomping" coming from the Material Girl's pad, which the singer converted into a "dance rehearsal space." Karen George sued the building managers - but not the pop star, in New York County Court.

George claims Midboro Management and the building's board of directors told Madonna to turn it down in May, but have taken no steps to enforce the notice.

George claims the building managers allow the pop star to "use her residential apartment as a dance rehearsal space" that sends "pounding noise and vibration" into the floor above. She says the managers failed to curtail the "unreasonably high decibel amplified music" when "Madonna and one or more of her invited guests dance or train in [Madonna's apartment]."

Madonna bought the apartment in 2007, although the board "initially opposed Madonna's attempt to acquire the apartment and brought an unsuccessful suit against her to prevent her purchase," according to the complaint.

For the past 17 months, George claims, she has "repeatedly complained ... about the intrusive and excessive noise" and "stomping" going on below, but the noise did not abate, and continues for an hour and a half to three hours each day.

"Frustrated by the lack of response from the defendants," George says she hired counsel who demanded a copy of the report from an acoustical firm that the board had hired to deal with the problem.

The board never delivered the report, but sent a letter that stated: "The proposed solution initially developed by the acoustical engineers would, threaten the structural integrity of the building ... [therefore] the Board is actively pursuing other solutions."

George says the board served a notice of cure to Madonna on May 27, giving her 30 days to stop "using the apartment for purposes other than a private dwelling" or risk losing her lease.

But George says, "the board has failed to initiate proceedings to enforce the notice to cure," and George has been forced to "vacate her apartment during the dancing and training services in [Madonna's] apartment ... because the noise and vibration becomes unbearable."

George seeks an injunction, costs and damages for breach of warrant of habitability and nuisance. She is represented by Steven Cohen with Wachtel & Masyr.

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