Apparently, you can copyright even very bland nightmare mansions, and at least one Long Island couple is pretty pissed that their copyright is getting ripped off.
Seth and Rivka Fortgang built that hideous thing above in the village of Lawrence, L.I. Rivka is an exterior and interior designer who copyrighted the architectural plans. She somehow became aware of plans for a similar shit show in Cedarhurst, and filed a lawsuit with the Long Island Federal Court.
The suit alleges that the Fortgangs have proof that the new builders, Daniella and Ari Schwartz, went to the Village of Lawrence Building Department to peek at the copyrighted architectural plans.
The New York Daily News reports that Daniel Schloss, the defense’s lawyer, argues in that the Fortgangs’s design features aren’t covered under the Copyright Act, because they’re boring and ugly:
“We note that the exterior façade of the Fortgang residence consists of several windows, rather generic gables, and entry way doors,” Schloss sniffed.
“However in the interests of professional courtesy, our clients have agreed to temporarily postpone construction of the present design … pending certain changes and amendments to its exterior façade elements,” he wrote.
Rivka Fortgang’s suit insists she has suffered damage to her business and reputation in her fancy Five Towns community as a result of the copycatting. It’s like wearing the same dress to the prom as your frenemy, but you have to live in it forever.
