Former New York Giants defensive lineman Chris Canty is facing allegations regarding his handling of tenants in a townhouse he owns in the Upper West Side.
Documents reveal that the Super Bowl champion, who co-hosts ESPN Radio’s “Sportsmanlike,” is said to be using excessive pressure to remove the last tenant from his $5.2 million property, which is a five-story building.
Canty, who stands at 6-foot-7 and weighs 380 pounds, intends to convert the nine-unit building on West 89th Avenue into his personal residence, but a 5-foot-6 data analyst named Stuart Kalmenson remains as the sole tenant.
“I had to choose between being bullied or standing my ground,” Kalmenson stated.
The 59-year-old Kalmenson has lived in a two-bedroom apartment near Central Park for nearly two decades, works for ESPN, and pays $2,600 in rent. This arrangement began after Canty purchased the building in March 2020, despite owning a home in Hilton Head, South Carolina.
However, Kalmenson claims the conditions in his long-time home have become alarming.
He has reportedly spent over two years without utilities, enduring winter without heat or hot water, and has had to fortify his living space due to safety concerns from damage and pest issues, as noted in court filings.
Kalmenson warms himself with a space heater and does laundry in the bathtub. He described the state of his living situation as “really scary and unsafe,” according to court records.
“He just wants to get rid of me,” Kalmenson told a reporter, referring to the multiple legal confrontations he’s had with Canty.
Most other tenants have vacated following the expiration of their leases, about three months after Canty acquired the building. Kalmenson, who lost his job during the pandemic, initially planned to move into a friend’s basement, but that fell through at the last moment.
He later reached out to Canty’s property management company to become a month-to-month tenant, as detailed in bills he provided.
However, by July 2020, Canty began legal proceedings to evict Kalmenson, and construction crews started their work inside the building, which Kalmenson and his spaniel Charles found daunting.
Canty has denied any wrongdoing.
“Kalmenson’s claims lack merit,” said Canty’s attorney, William M. Moran.
City records indicate that Canty was fined $20,000 for misrepresenting occupancy status regarding the building in 2021, stating there was no tenant protection plan.
That year, Canty initiated eviction proceedings against Kalmenson, claiming he was overstaying his lease. Canty also accused other tenants in a separate lawsuit of threats and harassment, along with filing a false claim with the Building Department.
In October 2021, Canty reportedly offered Kalmenson $45,000 to leave, but Kalmenson chose to stay, having recently qualified for emergency pandemic rental relief.
Work on the building ceased in April after Kalmenson filed a counter-lawsuit in Manhattan Supreme Court.
The Housing Conservation and Development Bureau has imposed 410 violations on Canty. In 2022, he faced two lawsuits for these infractions, ultimately settling for $8,000 in fees.
Kalmenson has accused the previous landlord of unlawfully classifying the building as a cooperative, while he argues that rent should be stable due to legal protections.
Canty, who has also been sued by various state entities for allegedly evading over $1 million in property taxes, contends that the building’s status is still as a cooperative and not subject to stable rent regulations.
“If I’m entitled to a stable rent lease, it shouldn’t matter that he’s a football player. I won’t be pushed out of my home,” Kalmenson voiced.
Canty enjoyed a successful 11-year NFL career, playing for the Giants, Dallas Cowboys, and Baltimore Ravens before retiring in 2015. Representatives for Canty did not respond to inquiries for further comment.
