Amusing Condo Tales this Time from Seattle.
Shoddy work from a major developer--but don't look now, it's Paul Allen's Vulcan R.E. outfit.
Trouble in Paradise
Lawsuit and Tenant Complaints Dog Vulcan in Denny Triangle
By Jonah Spangenthal-Lee
When Jerry O'Leary, 54 and retired, put down over $100,000 dollars toward a new million-dollar condominium in February 2005, he thought he was buying his way into an innovative downtown lifestyle proposed by Vulcan Inc. Vulcan Real Estate's $200 million 2200 project on two and a half acres at Westlake Avenue and Denny Way houses 261 units in three towers: Azur, Arte, and Aria. It's located near REI to the northeast and Denny Park to the northwest. The development combines high-end retail, a Whole Foods grocery, and the Pan Pacific Hotel into one self-sustaining community designed to redefine the possibilities for density in downtown Seattle. O'Leary was delighted by Vulcan's vision of a "first-class, high-end building."
However, on March 26, 2007, O'Leary filed suit in King County Superior Court against the developers after a series of delays and construction disputes left him with a condo that, according to the complaint, was "substantially [different] from the scope, nature, and extent of the project as it was described" when he signed a sale agreement in February 2005. Expressing his hopes for the development, O'Leary recounts, "The quality, as promised, sounded great." Instead, he describes the building to The Stranger as "basically a Motel 6. It was not high quality and I did not get what I paid for."
O'Leary, who never moved into his condo, says some of the problems include irreparably damaged door and window frames; a poured concrete deck that sloped toward his apartment, causing leaks in the unit below; mounting construction delays; and unmet expectations. O'Leary filed suit asking for the return of his deposit and attorney fees. Are these just the complaints of an unsatisfied yuppie? Maybe, but O'Leary is not the only person to encounter problems with 2200.
Media coverage:
thestranger.com
Nice Photo of realtor lockboxes/keyboxes at above condo development:
bp3.blogger.com
Finally, I should add that Seattle has condo development plans that stretch out for the next 5 years and dwarf the supply already built in this recent boom
Gregor |
