Abandoned Nuisance Condo Community

This video will take you on a journey of what is left of a condo community that has been empty since the summer of 2018. So many emotions are captured throughout the video. Go to the 21 minute mark to check out RiP falling off a tree!

This abandoned condo community was the longest environmental case this city has ever dealt with. In 2008 an environmental judge declared this community a nuisance. A condo community with a lengthy history of sewage backups, roach & rodent infestations, gang activity, and violent crimes.

Instead of using eminent domain to seize the property the city gave the condo association till 2014 to fix the issues and build up their financial reserves. Condo association had 127 owners for the 317 unit condo community. They had to bring the water and sewer supply lines up to code. Each unit needed separate meters instead of a single meter. When the water was shut off because a unit was behind on their water bill it would shut off the water supply to the other attached unit. Plus, whenever there was a sewage issue it would cost the city approximately $18,000 dollars to fix it.

By 2012 investors were buying up the abandoned condos for a few thousand dollars and renovating them. However, when 2014 came around the sewer and water line issue were not resolved and the condo association had not build up their financial reserves. So, negotiations began between the city and the condo association for the city to purchase the property. It was a difficult battle because many of the owners were uncooperative and felt that the city was purposely changing the city codes to prevent them from getting the units up to code.

In the beginning of 2018 the condo association agreed to allow the property to be purchased by the city for just under $9 million dollars. Most residents were given a court order to leave their unit within so many days. Families that had children attending schools in the school district were allowed to stay in their unit until the end of May so that their child could finish out the school year.

Now various fire departments in the area come and practice on these condos. Eventually everything will be demolished and a housing development plan will begin.

If you want to see photos from here and other abandoned places check out Remembering its Past on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/R.i.P.abandon