Douglas Elliman, a prominent real estate firm, has filed a lawsuit against Tony Award-winning choreographer George Faison, alleging he circumvented their exclusive listing agreement by selling a historic Harlem building to Al Sharpton's National Action Network (NAN) for $6 million without paying the agreed-upon commission. The firm is seeking $360,000, which represents the 6% commission they claim they should have earned on the transaction.
Faison, known for his choreography in the 1974 production of "The Wiz," reportedly entered into an agreement with Douglas Elliman in July 2025 to sell two adjacent properties at 4 and 6 Hancock Place in South Harlem. The combined 30,000-square-foot property includes a former Beaux Arts firehouse, which Faison purchased in 2000 for $600,000 and converted into a theater, office space, residence, and dance studio. He acquired the adjacent building at 4 Hancock Place in 2013 for $1 million.
According to the Manhattan Supreme Court lawsuit, Douglas Elliman asserts that Faison “surreptitiously” sold the buildings to NAN after signing the listing agreement, deliberately avoiding his contractual obligation to pay the firm. NAN plans to relocate its headquarters to the purchased property and rename it the House of Justice Rev. Jesse Jackson’s Workshop.
A spokesperson for NAN confirmed the purchase of the firehouse property for $6 million and stated that the organization has already begun moving into the building. The spokesperson added that NAN was unaware of the lawsuit and its allegations, considering any dispute between Faison and Douglas Elliman a private matter.
When reached for comment, Faison stated that Douglas Elliman had not contacted him since January. He suggested that if there were any discrepancies, the firm should have reached out to him directly. Attorneys for Douglas Elliman maintain that Faison had a contractual obligation to refer all inquiries about the property to the real estate agency.