Outside the entrance of 47-55 39th Place
Sept. 3, 2017 By Nathaly Pesantez
The property manager of the Sunnyside condo building, which gained citywide attention for its lobby that included an image of Hitler, and who is under city and state investigations for alleged tenant harassment, has been arrested, according to police.
Neal Milano, the 70-year-old property manager at 47-55 39th Place, was arrested Sunday afternoon and charged with stalking and harassment in relation to a July 2017 stalking complaint filed against him, police say.
The arrest is not related to recent news coverage nor the images in the building lobby, according to police.
The stalking complaint was made on July 13 by a 43-year-old woman, who alleges she was grabbed by Milano multiple times, which caused her alarm and annoyance, according to police sources.
Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer said Milano, who was out of the country as news broke of the building, was arrested as soon as he got off the plane at the airport.
“I am really glad that the NYPD is taking the matter as seriously as I believe they should,” Van Bramer said, adding that the arrest at the airport sends a “strong message” to some people of the Sunnyside condo who allege that Milano has harassed them.
Milano is also under investigation by the Commission on Human Rights after allegations of tenant harassment and discrimination. The New York State Attorney General has also opened an investigation into the complaints of harassment made by the building’s residents, according to a spokesperson at the AG’s office.
A lawsuit was also filed against Milano and members of the building’s condo board in April by Lynn Calvacca, an attorney who owns two condos at the site. The suit lists several allegations of arbitrary fines and of harassing behavior against them, and points to Milano as the main “instigator” behind them.
The Sunnyside Post has reached out to Milano’s attorney for comment, but has yet to receive a response.
