Civil rights activist Al Sharpton finds himself embroiled in a nasty dispute with his landlord over the Harlem building where his National Action Network is headquartered. , the Washington Post found out.
The landlord/developer — Lenox By the Bridge LLC — has made a payment to Sharpton and his NAN for the rent and occupation of his social justice organization on 145th Street near Lenox Avenue. has served a legal notice on the lease of a building that said the source.
"We are working with NAN and Reverend Sharpton to resolve issues that need to be addressed and will not comment further," said Christopher Cobb, an attorney at Lennox-by-the-Bridge. told The Post.
Mr Sharpton alleges that NAN pays the rent, and the controversy involves whether the organization will renew the lease and how much he will be charged per square foot, or It said it included discussions about whether to move to another location.
"It's about extending the lease. We're not paying rent to anyone," he told the Post. If there is, I am not aware of it at all.”
He said that NAN, which suffered from deficitsyears ago, is now profitable. .
Earlier this year he reportedly had $3.8 million of his available cash on hand, according to his charity's latest charity 990 tax exemption report for calendar year 2020 filed with the IRS. was shown.
NAN attorney Michael Hardy later identified "Served" by the landlord against the NAN over a complaint that it refused to do.
He said lawyers from both sides were meeting to resolve the dispute "in a professional manner."
Sharpton and Lennox-by-the-Bridge ties — whose partnership included businessman Bruce Teitelbaum and served as aide to former Mayor Rudy Giuliani — planned The landlord, who had deteriorated after a redevelopment project, suggested a location that was stranded amid political and community opposition, sources said. It contained a civil rights museum that Ton wanted, one of two new towers built on the site, which was to be built over new offices occupied by the NAN.
But amid objections that the project failed , the deal failed to include enough affordable or subsidized housing in the area. Seeing the opposition, Sharpton also withdrew, sources said.
Among those who opposed the project werelocal Harlem City Council member, socialist Christine Richardson Jordan, Manhattan mayor Mark Levine and Included 10 community boards.
Longtime Sharpton associates said relations between preachers and landowners and developers were strained.
"We don't get along. The landlord wasn't kind to the National Action Network," claimed a Sharpton associate.
"I am disappointed that the project fell apart. Sharpton was looking forward to opening the museum, but it never materialized."
Sharpton himself suggested that the dissatisfaction with the landlord was related to a failed redevelopment project.
According to another source familiar with the dispute: And choosing to fight Sharpton won't help Lennox by the Bridge get the help it needs to revive the development project. , it requires all the relevant stakeholder relationships necessary to bring this to a goal: City Councilors, City Council Speakers [Adrian Adams], Reverend Al, and the community. The project is DOA," the source said.