A hedge-fund millionaire is fighting to keep the greatest deal in New York real estate since Peter Minuit bought Manhattan Island — a $380-a-month Park Avenue duplex.
Ross Haberman has a conniption in a Manhattan Supreme Court lawsuit over a vote by the building’s board — which is made up of his own family members — to get the rent on his sprawling luxury apartment at 737 Park Ave. closer to market value.
“The proposed rent increase would increase the rent rate for Ross’ apartment by as much as 30 times,” the suit notes.
A search of recent rentals in the building — across the street from 740 Park, one of the city’s most prestigious addresses — shows one-story units on the same line averaging $8,000 a month in rent.
The head of the Haberman Value Fund claims in the suit that the board lacks authority to raise his rent because his grandfather, Louis Katz, who was big in Manhattan real estate until his death in 1965, willed his three kids apartments in two of the luxury buildings he owned — and the buildings themselves — and set up $300 rentals for his grandchildren.
“The family buildings are 530 Park and 737 Park,” the suit says, and Haberman lived in a $300 unit at 530 Park from 1982 to 1991 before moving into his current $300 unit on the 10th floor of 737 Park.
He married lawyer Vicki Leigh Kaplan in 1995, and when they needed space in 2000 for their kids, they linked with the unit below — zooming the rent to $380 a month, the papers explain.
The 20-story building, built in 1940, is thought to be the only one to rent out apartments above 57th Street. A three-bedroom rented for $20,000 a month in January, and a two-bedroom currently pulls in $9,500 a month.
Three of the five other Katz grandkids have moved out, but all maintain an interest in the buildings’ management — and seem OK with the proposed change.
Last July, cousin and neighbor Lauren Katz “proposed a resolution [that] would increase the rent for each of the apartments occupied by the various family members to ‘a rate closer to the fair market value.’ ”
The proposal passed, prompting the suit, which seeks a declaration that the rent hike has “no legal force” and that Haberman can stay in his apartments “at the same rental rate.”
Two of his cousins declined to comment, as did the Habermans and their lawyer. The other three cousins did not return calls for comment.
Neighbors, meanwhile, didn’t exactly cry Haberman a river yesterday.
“$380 a month? That’s ridiculous,” said one who asked not be identified.
Another called it “outrageous” and pointed out that “he can certainly pay what the rest of us pay.”
And baby sitter Mildy Chaparro was astonished.
“That’s not fair,” she said. “I just live in a tiny studio in Queens — and I pay $1,000 a month!”