The city is barred from expanding or altering 15 charter schools housed in public-school buildings until a decision is reached on a lawsuit alleging they get preferential access to space, a Manhattan Supreme Court judge ruled yesterday.

Three other charter schools named in the initial lawsuit filed in May by the United Federation of Teachers, the NAACP and others were dropped from the litigation, both sides said.

The dropped schools are Promise Academy I and II, and Girls Prep Charter School, all in Manhattan.

A fourth Manhattan charter, Upper West Side Success, will have a hearing on June 30 and a ruling by July 1 because of time constraints on needed construction, Justice Paul Feinman said.