Hi Craig,
Just thought you might want to know that your 2006 entry about the troubles the people buying condos over at 1791 W Howard have come to pass...a lot of people are unhappy over shoddy construction, "perpetual construction", building going on for the new commercial client (edible arrangements) without building permits., the outside of the building with that has been without lighting (just holes where the old fixtures haven't been replaced since there were removed over a year ago). The developer is the Kopley Group.
As you reported they were a big contributor to the Joe Moore campaign right when they wanted the zoning changes.
Chances are that they would have been gone by now except they haven't been able to sell the last 10 of 37 units due to the housing market.
There was also a break-in back in November where a couple people were setting up residence in the 6th floor stairwell. Evidently well known to the police, one was a prostitute, one was a drug user/dealer (according to the police). Case number is HP-698791, Nov 23. They were able to get in very easy since the developer didn't think that a plate to protect the mechanism was needed on the outside door, just on the inside doors of the sales office.
Signed,
Unhappy Resident
10 comments:
I wonder if there is such a thing as a good condo developer? Our building was saddled with bills for major plumbing, concrete, and electrical repairs. I hold the City's inspectors as responsible as the shoddy developers for allowing this 'business as usual' practice to continue leaving hardworking homeowners holding the bag.
updating the linked-to list of cash from Kopley to Moore
Kopley Group XIV LLC
5206 N. Sheridan Rd
Chicago, IL 60626
$2,500.00 12/19/2007 to Citizens for Joe Moore
$2,500.00 2/9/2007 to Citizens for Joe Moore
Where's the CPAN unit for 1448 West Morse, Mr. Aronson?
Where's the 3 CPAN units for 7070 North Clark, Mr. Zuric?
Three projects presented to the community needing a zoning variance.
Three projects the developer promised CPAN housing as a negotiation tool at three community meetings when said developer wasn't getting the response for said project he was planning.
Three projects the developer gave Joe Moore campaign contributions with-in a close proximity to the zoning variance request because the community didn't like or trust the plan giving the project the look of a "hint of possible influence."
Three projects that have yet to product one month of affordable living for any family in Rogers Park.
Do you see a pattern here?
I had to look up CPAN units - wasn't sure what it was. Now I know and I wouldn't want them in my building. I'm not going to pay market price and have others live there that didn't do the same. I made sure those didn't exist (although I didn't know the name) when I purchased. I think it all sounds nice in theory, but it has not worked in places where my friends have purchased.
Our builders did an absolutely lousy job too and we have had nothing but problems in our building. I have to wonder if the city inspectors were ever even here! In addition to roofing, water damages, several items never completed, etc - we have also had lots of concrete damage. How does that happen? do you just think they use the cheapest concrete possible? We think our developer wanted to make the units "look" great and then flip them and the market turned. Now they are stuck with some of these lousy units.
razzler/CG: we're also having serious problems with our building that was gut-rehabbed 3 years ago. when the heavy rains came last sept, all the upper units started leaking-bad. it's become a nightmare, the insurance company won't pay for it, and we're most likely headed for court. if there are others like us, i'd sure like to hear about your experiences and how/if you solved the problems.
We've got 4 years of warning coverage on these cookie-cutter rehabs all over the ward here on the 'Broken Heart'.
Hugh and I have beaten these stories to pulp.
People aren't listening, or they don't care? As Joe says, it's up to the public now to do something -- if you want change.
Why bother with the CPAN program when units in this building and other new developments will have to drop way below the CPAN price in order to sell to anyone?
CPAN and other homeowner "affordability" programs in conjunction with really bad lending, helped drive prices to unsustainable levels. And now, via HOPE and all the other housing "rescue" programs, our government is trying to "put a floor" under housing prices by, among many other ludicrous and destructive things, by writing FHA loans with Down Payment Assistance (DPA) programs to egregriously unqualified buyers.
If you are qualified and see a place you want, forget the stupid CPAN units and the city homebuyer program. You can do better and cheaper. Just get your loan lined up, for 2.5X your income, and your 10% down, and get the loan preapproved, and then make the lowest offer you dare. Nice to make sure your offer is "rent parity" AFTER reckoning for condo assessments, insurance, utilities, and taxes.
Yeah, yeah, I understand- we were supposed to get these "affordable" units in return for letting the devoloper build here. But that doesn't make the CPAN program good for buyers, other buyers in the building, or anyone else.
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