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Trump Palace sues NYC over construction at Whole Foods and Five Below

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Ongoing construction on a new Whole Foods and Five Below discount store is endangering tenants of Trump Palace on the Upper East Side, according to a lawsuit filed by the homeowners association.

Demolition work caused flooding in the basement, electrical room and garage of the posh building, and drilling caused gas leaks, leaving the more than 400 residents without working stoves or clothes dryers, according to the Manhattan Supreme Court filing.

To make matters worse, construction workers last week damaged the tower's “irreplaceable” granite facade when they illegally drilled signs into it, the lawsuit says.

The homeowners association at Trump Palace on the Upper East Side is suing Whole Foods and Five Below over construction work it says caused a gas leak, gas line damage, flooding and other problems in the building. Helayne Seidman
The 55-story Trump Palace on the Upper East Side is the tallest in the neighborhood and features multi-million dollar penthouses at the top. Helayne Seidman

When the building's manager tried to speak to the foreman about the signage, he was told to “go away,” the building board's legal documents said.

The committee alleges that the work was carried out with “reckless disregard” for local residents and caused “significant and lasting damage” to the luxury high-rise.

The demanding work, including jackhammering and drilling, must be paused during investigations and efforts to restore gas supplies.

The lawsuit also seeks at least $500,000 each from Whole Foods, Five Below and Regency Centers, the owner of the commercial unit beneath the condo.

The opening of the stores was planned for September.

Lawyers for the stores did not immediately respond to questions from The Post.

The Trump Palace board of directors has filed a lawsuit against Whole Foods, Five Below and Regency Centers, claiming that ongoing construction has caused significant damage to the property. Helayne Seidman
A Five Below store is also planned for the Upper East Side space that formerly housed a Food Emporium. Helayne Seidman
The homeowners association says there have been gas outages in the building and that decades-old granite has been damaged by drilling. Helayne Seidman

The 55-story tower on East 69th Street is considered the tallest building in the neighborhood and offers penthouse apartments that take up an entire floor and cost up to $6.9 million. There is also a separate wing of townhouse-style units on East 68th Street.

The building was designed by Frank Williams and built in 1990.