Highrise Has 32 Stories But Just 1 Tenant

Highrise 32 Stories 1 Tenant - Politics, Business, Civil, History - Posted: 11th Sep, 2009 - 1:41am

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The family have exclusive use of the pool, game room and gym but no neighbors!
2nd Aug, 2009 - 6:25pm / Post ID: #

Highrise Has 32 Stories But Just 1 Tenant

No matter how much you may like a peaceful environment without no neighbors around, this is particularly a safety issue. I hope they get it resolved!

QUOTE
FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Vangelakos' southwest Florida condominium has marble floors, a large pool overlooking a river and modern furnishings that speak of affluence and luxury. What they don't have in the 32-story building is a single neighbor.

The New Jersey family of five purchased their unit four years ago, when Fort Myers was in the midst of a housing boom and any hints of an impending financial crisis were buried in lofty dreams of expansion and development. They made a $10,000 down payment and eagerly watched as builders transformed an empty lot into an opulent high rise, one that now symbolizes the foreclosure crisis.

"The future was going to be southwest Florida," said Victor Vangelakos, 45, a fire captain who planned to eventually retire and live permanently in the condo.

Most of the other tenants in the 200-unit condo didn't close on their contracts, and the few that did have transferred to an adjacent building owned by the same company because more people live there.

The Vangelakos' mortgage lender will not allow them to do the same.

That leaves them as the sole residents of the Oasis Tower One.

"It's a beautiful building," said their attorney, John Ewing, who is representing 27 others who made deposits on units. "The problem is, it's a very lonely building."

When the Vangelakos' travel from Weehawken, N.J., to spend a week or a few days in their Florida home, they have exclusive use of the pool, game room and gym, but they miss having a few tenants around.

"Being from the city, it's very eerie," Vangelakos said. "It's almost like a scary movie."

A large, circular fountain in front of the building is dry. The automatic glass doors that lead to the front lobby are locked. On the front desk is a guest sign-in sheet. The last entry: Feb. 13, 2009.

"It's like time froze here six months ago," Ewing said.

Vangelakos said they closed on the apartment in the fall, unaware the other tenants had failed to follow through. When they visited around Christmas, they didn't think much of the emptiness. They were just happy to be there.

"We wanted to believe," Cathy Vangelakos said. "We were looking for what we were offered."

On subsequent visits, however, the building grew more deserted.

The lights on the pool and palm trees were off. Their garbage shoot was sealed, a trash bin placed in front of their unit instead.

Despite the empty units, they faithfully parked in their assigned spot on the second story of the parking garage. Then those lights went off, too.

Then there were security concerns. One night, someone pounded on their door at 11 p.m. They called the front desk at the next door building, which contacted police. A search turned up no one, though a pool entrance was open.

Another morning they awoke to find lounge chairs in the pool.

The parents and their children sleep with their cell phones by their beds.

"I'm not a chicken, but this is a big building," Cathy Vangelakos said.

Betsy McCoy, vice president and associated general counsel with The Related Group, which sold the family their unit, said they have tried to help find a solution - even offering them a unit in the building next door, free of cost, while the situation is resolved.

"They haven't wanted to take us up on that," McCoy said Friday. "They frankly rejected every solution and offer and proposal that we've come up with."

McCoy said some of the interested buyers who put down deposits lost their jobs, others were unable to get mortgages and some were just nervous when the financial collapse came....

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23rd Aug, 2009 - 4:24am / Post ID: #

Tenant Just Stories Highrise

Wow! This is very strange. It could be nice to not have to worry about loud neighbors, but in a huge building like that I can understand how it can be scary. I'd feel so out of the loop being the only family in a big building like that. To avoid having the whole place shut down they should try to get a reality show. I know people would move in just to get on television. People might not know about the building and if they saw a show about it they might want to move in. This family should tell others about the building or find a way out of their contract. If the owners of the building can't keep the place safe for the family then they should be able to break the contract. I would be worried about people causing trouble in the building. It could be fun though for kids to run around the hallways and play hide and seek.


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11th Sep, 2009 - 12:39am / Post ID: #

Highrise Has 32 Stories But Just 1 Tenant History & Civil Business Politics

It sounds like something out of a horror movie. I don't think I would be able to live in such a large building by myself. It's a pity really because the apartment building sounded like a really nice one, with quality design and amenities. Hopefully they can get some of the other units leased soon.


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11th Sep, 2009 - 1:41am / Post ID: #

Tenant Just Stories Highrise

For me to move into a place like that I'd make sure the owners put cameras in the hallways with monitors in my place for me to see that it's safe. Also I'd ask that they put an alarm system in for safety. It would be fun if you wanted to have a party, but at night getting off work it would be scary.


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