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Man brings country to Manhattan, sues over subsequent fine

Posted On: Jan. 11, 2018 9:06 AM CST

Man brings country to Manhattan, sues over subsequent fine

If he can’t make it to the rural countryside, he’ll cultivate the countryside in Manhattan: a rustic cabin featuring a porch swing, all surrounded by a lush, green mini-meadow, all perched atop New York real estate developer David Puchkoff’s West Village loft.

Never mind the city sounds of horns honking and people hollering, the real wrench is this: An anonymous neighbor complained, and city regulators subsequently accused Mr. Puchkoff of not having permission to build the rooftop oasis, fining him $1,200. And so the cabin owner is suing the City of New York, according to an article in Tuesday’s New York Post.

Mr. Puchkoff’s country-living oasis stands six stories up and has been featured in the New York Times and National Geographic. He told reporters he was inspired to build the rooftop getaway after visiting a friend’s lakefront house in rural Pennsylvania.

“I haven’t done any other work in there except to water my garden, so who am I annoying?” Mr. Puchkoff told The Post, adding that he filed permits in 2003 for the rooftop terrace.