Metro

Tribeca Film Festival sues in Pier 57 redesign battle

The developer selected to modernize the historic Pier 57 on W. 15th Street into a hip retail and cultural center partnered with Robert De Niro’s Tribeca Film Festival to gain city approval and then dumped the organization to maximize profits, according to a new lawsuit.

The famous festival claims Young Woo & Associates reneged on a deal to give them naming rights to the rehabbed pier plus $5 million to create a mostly free public arts venue on the roof.

Tribeca began working with the Lower Manhattan-based developer in 2008 to win a bid for the waterfront space from the Hudson River Park Trust, the Manhattan Supreme Court suit says.

The relatively unknown Young & Woo used the film festival’s name in press releases and the City Council highlighted its role during the approval process last April.

“Given its strong ties to the community, its existing commitment to making cultural programming available to the public, and its track record of operating large-scale cultural events in New York City, participation by Tribeca in the project was key to Young Woo & Associates being awarded the project, “ the suit says.

Under a 2009 agreement, Tribeca would only have to pay $1 dollar in annual rent for the rooftop. In exchange the group would attract sponsorship and give the developer a 20 percent cut on concessions and other income.

Then this fall the developer allegedly tried to trash the deal, unilaterally named the space the “SuperPier,” and attempted to re-purpose the roof as a profit-making venue instead of a public space, according to court papers.

Tribeca wants the court to hold the developer to its original agreement.

The developer did not immediately return a message for comment.

The 450,000 square foot pier is expected to open under its new reincarnation in 2015. Past lives include serving as a dock for ocean liners, an MTA bus depot and a holding pen for rowdy protestors during the Republican National Convention in 2004.