The facade was illegally demolished by real estate developers in 1974.

Today, only one of the 128-metre pylons stands as the other was illegally demolished for steel scrap in May 2005.

Then, in April, numerous pylons to support the future track were illegally demolished, probably by metal thieves.

A month earlier the city sued the owner of another house nearby, on 31st Avenue for illegally demolishing a single-family home without proper permits.

Did he illegally demolish those buildings?

Mr. Macklowe ordered four buildings demolished illegally on West 44th Street in January 1985.

This house was illegally demolished by the Jesuit owners of Belvedere College, although it was under a preservation order, on 26 April 1968.

However there are once again renewed fears for areas such as James' Street and Thomas Street, with a church on Jones's Road illegally demolished in 2008.

Harry Macklowe, the developer who illegally demolished several S.R.O. buildings on West 44th Street, was sued by the city.

In June 1999, the art deco, grade 1 listed garage on Fenian Street was illegally demolished by contractors working for the O'Callaghan hotel group.