PuyoPiyo
Oct 24, 2007, 5:29 PM
Downtown condo owners cry foul
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
BY JONATHAN NELSON, Columbian staff writer
The first residents of Heritage Place condominiums were pioneers to downtown Vancouver's urban reawakening.
The city lifestyle, with its proximity to Esther Short Park and Vancouver Farmers Market, has lost its charm for some Heritage Place residents, however. They now say the two brick buildings were erected with shoddy construction.
The Heritage Place Condominium Association is suing developer Heritage Place LLC and Craig E. Angelo, a managing partner of the company. The amended suit, filed Oct. 9 in Clark County, also alleges Angelo withheld information regarding the defects, improperly retained control of the homeowners association board and blocked an effort by residents to investigate the quality of the construction.
Angelo was traveling Tuesday and couldn't be reached for comment, but the company released this statement:
"We just received the lawsuit. We are reviewing the allegations, and we have some concerns about their accuracy. We still own 17 percent of the residential units, plus all of the commercial space, and it would be contrary to our family's interest to let the building run down. We take claims like these very seriously and will work toward a resolution."
Anthony Rafel of the Seattle law firm Rafel Law Group represents the association and said the group has received reports from a waterproofing expert and mechanical engineer. He said that issue was given to Angelo in an attempt to reach a resolution, but Angelo flatly rejected that attempt.
Rafel said there is no estimate on repair costs.
Heritage Place bloomed in 2000, one of many downtown projects that signaled a new era in downtown. It also carried a familiar name - Al Angelo, former Vancouver mayor and notable developer.
A litany of problems
The Al Angelo Co. built the $25 million, 137-unit Heritage Place. The two buildings, with a brick facade, combined condominiums on the top floors and retail on the ground level.
Now, seven years later, the lawsuit lists a litany of problems that include:
- Defective vinyl windows that were improperly installed.
- A leaky roof.
- Dryer ventilation and kitchen exhaust fans that don't meet state standards.
- Plumbing problems that include backup of sewage in units and in kitchen garbage disposals.
- Leaks from overhead walkways.
- Doors on the second floor that don't remain closed and are driven open by the wind.
- Brick cutouts in window sills that lack the minimum slope.
In November 2004, a recommendation was made to the association board to investigate the quality of Heritage Place's construction, the suit said. Angelo, in an April 2005 letter to the board, said the design and construction was "second to none" and "there simply was no stone left unturned in assuring a well-constructed project."
Jonathan Nelson can be reached at 360-759-8013 or via e-mail at jonathan.nelson@columbian.com
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
BY JONATHAN NELSON, Columbian staff writer
The first residents of Heritage Place condominiums were pioneers to downtown Vancouver's urban reawakening.
The city lifestyle, with its proximity to Esther Short Park and Vancouver Farmers Market, has lost its charm for some Heritage Place residents, however. They now say the two brick buildings were erected with shoddy construction.
The Heritage Place Condominium Association is suing developer Heritage Place LLC and Craig E. Angelo, a managing partner of the company. The amended suit, filed Oct. 9 in Clark County, also alleges Angelo withheld information regarding the defects, improperly retained control of the homeowners association board and blocked an effort by residents to investigate the quality of the construction.
Angelo was traveling Tuesday and couldn't be reached for comment, but the company released this statement:
"We just received the lawsuit. We are reviewing the allegations, and we have some concerns about their accuracy. We still own 17 percent of the residential units, plus all of the commercial space, and it would be contrary to our family's interest to let the building run down. We take claims like these very seriously and will work toward a resolution."
Anthony Rafel of the Seattle law firm Rafel Law Group represents the association and said the group has received reports from a waterproofing expert and mechanical engineer. He said that issue was given to Angelo in an attempt to reach a resolution, but Angelo flatly rejected that attempt.
Rafel said there is no estimate on repair costs.
Heritage Place bloomed in 2000, one of many downtown projects that signaled a new era in downtown. It also carried a familiar name - Al Angelo, former Vancouver mayor and notable developer.
A litany of problems
The Al Angelo Co. built the $25 million, 137-unit Heritage Place. The two buildings, with a brick facade, combined condominiums on the top floors and retail on the ground level.
Now, seven years later, the lawsuit lists a litany of problems that include:
- Defective vinyl windows that were improperly installed.
- A leaky roof.
- Dryer ventilation and kitchen exhaust fans that don't meet state standards.
- Plumbing problems that include backup of sewage in units and in kitchen garbage disposals.
- Leaks from overhead walkways.
- Doors on the second floor that don't remain closed and are driven open by the wind.
- Brick cutouts in window sills that lack the minimum slope.
In November 2004, a recommendation was made to the association board to investigate the quality of Heritage Place's construction, the suit said. Angelo, in an April 2005 letter to the board, said the design and construction was "second to none" and "there simply was no stone left unturned in assuring a well-constructed project."
Jonathan Nelson can be reached at 360-759-8013 or via e-mail at jonathan.nelson@columbian.com
