THIS GUY’S A REAL KVETCH
He’s the Lord of the Gadflies. James Miller holds his luxury Upper West Side high-rise accountable for everything he can think of — and then some — from security, sidewalk cracks, pool temperature, squeaky elevators and tree removal to unfriendly employees and how the snow is shoveled.
“I have a very keen eye,” the 61-yearold cameraman told The Post.
But Miller’s energetic policing of The Alfred, a doorman building on a quiet West 61st Street cul-de-sac near Lincoln Center, has won him few fans, neighbors say.
“If ‘Seinfeld’ were to come back and do an episode on having the worst neighbor in New York? This would be it,” one resident said.
Another quipped, “Maybe he thinks his s- -t doesn’t stink.”
A third said they used to support Miller, until he sued the board.
“I think he’s right on some issues, but on some things I think he’s nuts,” that neighbor said.
The exasperated condo board says Miller repeatedly lies to his neighbors about nonexistent safety issues and complains to city agencies incessantly in an attempt to get inspectors to issue violations, according to a new lawsuit the board filed against him in Manhattan Supreme Court.
He has made 45 complaints to a halfdozen city agencies and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in the past six months, including one alleging the sauna door handle should not be metal, the board says.
Miller has visited the local firehouse so often to ask what would constitute a fire-code violation that firefighters stopped answering the door, The Alfred board alleged. Miller says it’s just because he cares. “I walk senior citizens across the street,” the single dad told The Post. “If somebody’s having trouble on an escalator, I run to help them. “That’s how I am.” While taking it upon himself to shovel snow outside the 36-story building one day, Miller allegedly accosted the wife of a board member, complaining that her husband should be outside pushing snow with him, according to court papers.
The triathlete and marathoner takes photos of neighbors in the building’s health club and common areas, intentionally splashed water on folks in the pool, and complained about a beloved doorman who parked illegally and wouldn’t help him quickly enough with packages, court papers allege.
Miller lost an election to join the board of managers last year and has previously sued the board over problems with his apartment renovations. That litigation is ongoing.
The fed-up the board managers are now asking a judge to order Miller to stop his “premeditated and malicious harassment.”
But the self-appointed condo cop defended his vigilance.
“I’m doing this to make this a better, safe, more secure building,” Miller said. “They have blinders on, and they’re not seeing things. I have visual acuity.”
His lawyer, Philip Greenberg, said: “He’s not trolling the building. He’s living his day-to-day, life and he’s noticing it.”
Miller said many of his complaints led to improvements.
And he’s continuing to push for a camera at a rear security door, citing a 2012 rape in the building by a pizza deliveryman.
“I’m trying to make some change,” he said. “People resist change.”