NEW YORK, NY March 21, 2008 —A landmark building on Manhattan's west side is falling apart and in a rare legal action the landmark's commission is suing to try to force the owners to repair it. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez reports:

The Windermere Apartments on Ninth Avenue and 57th Street were constructed around 1880. At first, the standout apartment complex, with its intricate brick work and story high cornices used to house New York's elite.

Later it became housing for single women. But it’s been in decline for decades. And Attorney John Weiss from the city's Landmark Preservation commission says now the roof is falling and the some of the floors have collapsed:

WEISS: There's also concern about the facade. In that it severely needs to be repainted. A number of the windows are missing. This is a building that for 20, 25 years had not had much maintenance.

REPORTER: The city is asking a judge to fine the owners 5-thousand dollars a day until the Windermere gets repaired.

A Japanese construction company called Toa owns the property. No one could be reached for comment.

For WNYC, I'm Cindy Rodriguez