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In another sign of trouble within the Helmsley real estate empire, partners of Harry and Leona Helmsley in two Manhattan office properties are battling them for control.
Some of the partners in the landmark Flatiron Building and the Musart Building, at 119 W. 57th St., want to strip the management and leasing' responsibility for the properties from the Helmsley's real estate firm, Helmsley-Spear Inc. They launched this effort after identifying what they considered to be excessive amounts paid to cleaners, an elevator maintenance company and other vendors.
Helmsley-Spear officials did not return calls. But executives at the cleaning and elevator maintenance companies in question defended their charges as appropriate.
Fought Helmsleys before
This isn't the first time partners of the Helmsleys have tried to wrest control of a building from them. In 1992, the couple lost control of what was the Helmsley Palace hotel after a long legal battle.
More recently, the Helmsleys have fought with other shareholders over the reins of...