Exhibit #1 in why it’s so hard to build housing in New York City

For a taste of why housing’s so expensive in this town, consider Manhattan trial-court Judge Arthur Engoron‘s ruling this month freezing work on the 250 Water St. project simply because the developer made an agreement with the Landmarks Preservation Commission to save the historic South Street Seaport Museum.

An “impermissible quid pro quo,” he huffed. Because why?

The site’s to hold a 270-unit, 26-story apartment building offering much-needed affordable and market-rate units; the Howard Hughes Corp. Also agreed to fund a $50 million endowment to help the museum reopen. All of which will boost the area, which is now full of empty storefronts.

Engoron will get overruled . . . eventually, as he was not long ago when he halted the Two Bridges project, complaining, “These are huge towers. I’ve lived in the city my whole life. You can’t just do this because the zoning allows it. I just can’t believe this is the case.” Somehow, he’s still on the bench.

Nonsense lawsuits by the “haves” delay and even defeat major construction in New York City all the time. In this case, locals worried about their views have even suggested the 250 Water site should just become an NYPD tow pound — never mind that zoning allows for an apartment tower.

Someone always has some reason to oppose change, but New York stands out for giving the nay-sayers so many chances to succeed