[glynnjamin]

Apparently when they first renovated the building things were really bad. I'm not exactly sure (partially because I have an upper unit) but from what I've been told the street used to flood really bad and the curbs were low so the water just flooded up to the base of the building. There are basement windows below grade and the water would just pour in. The HOA sued the contractors and got them to build 1' walls around each of the basement window coves. They added landscaping and a bunch of other stuff and it pretty much did a good job. Then in like 2004 the city renovated 2nd Ave and added large storm drains and raised the curb height.

What generally happens during a bad rain (that massive hurricane last year was the last time) is that the storm drains back up and the intersection floods with over a foot of water. The water line will come all the way up to the property and even up to those 1ft retaining walls. The problem occurs as a car drives through the intersection creating a wake. That wave pushes a ton of water over the retaining walls and into the window coves which then begin to fill. We were helping neighbors bail water during the storm.

I suppose that any additional runoff from the lots would just amplify that problem. I don't know anything about the topography...looks pretty flat to me. But with the giant storm drains installed on every corner at that intersection, I believe the water is supposed to run toward that intersection. That intersection is significantly lower than say McKinley & 2nd ave or a hundred yards south of Fillmore on 2nd ave.