Marks, O'Neill, O'Brien, Doherty & Kelly, P.C., New York (Jenna L. Caldarella of counsel), for appellant.

Bernstone & Grieco LLP, New York (Peter B. Croly of counsel), for respondent.

Order, Supreme Court, New York County (Joan M. Kenney, J.), entered April 14, 2016, which, to the extent appealed from, granted plaintiff's motion to strike the answer for failure to comply with discovery demands, unanimously affirmed, without costs.

The record establishes willful and contumacious behavior on defendant's part warranting the sanction of striking the answer (see generally Rosario v New York City Hous. Auth., 272 AD2d 105 [1st Dept 2000]). Defense counsel's affirmation in opposition to the motion demonstrates that defendant ceased cooperating in the defense of this action by failing to respond to counsel's communications regarding the necessity of providing the outstanding discovery. Concur—Richter, J.P., Andrias, Moskowitz, Feinman and Kapnick, JJ.