Apparently, they've fired the contractor for this project on the old Bill White Chevrolet lot and are not paying subcontractors. Anybody heard any details on this?
Quote from: TulsaGuy on February 12, 2015, 10:21:42 AM
Apparently, they've fired the contractor for this project on the old Bill White Chevrolet lot and are not paying subcontractors. Anybody heard any details on this?
Interesting... this development was supposed to open Jan 1. Then became Jan 15. Then no later than Feb 1. Then March 1. No clue when move in is scheduled now. Hopefully this isn't another Sager type developer. This was a very cool project, so hopefully they get their act together and finish this project.
They already have tenants moving in?
Yes, they had people moving in mid-January. I looked at them a couple times but it was just too close of quarters for me. Very narrow hallways. Awesome rooftops though.
Quote from: sgrizzle on February 16, 2015, 11:50:49 AM
They already have tenants moving in?
They were supposed to. I don't think they have the CTO yet from the City. I was supposed to move in there in Jan... and they pushed the dates back to many times so I just asked for my money back and kept looking elsewhere.
I think people are living there now. Witnessed someone getting home from work as I was running past the other day.
I am one of the subcontractors who have not been paid. As of a couple of weeks ago, there were over a million dollars in liens filed on this project. My understanding from a representative of the general contractor says the owner did not keep payments up with them and they pulled off the job, the owner is reporting that the general has been overpaid and was fired. I am trying to find out as much as I can about both entities. My understanding is they are heading for mediation sometime about nowish. When I checked about a week or so ago, this general contractor had filed a lawsuit against Larson Development in Richmond, VA (not on this project, but on the one they worked together on before).
However, the owner has had his attorney send me a letter advising me to "cease and desist" from making any false allegations about his clients, or be subject to severe civil liability for "tortious interference with business relationships", current and future.
It is my understanding from my city councilor my concerns expressed to him about this project and subs not being paid has been referred to legal. I understand that are several hundred thousand dollars of tax abatements on the line from the city. I have also began a conversation with the Oklahoma Historic(al)? Society about the state tax credits that have been applied for.
I do think there are people residing in the development at this time.
I just want to be paid. I do support downtown development and historic restoration, but not on the backs of local subcontractors.
Quote from: tvc on April 13, 2015, 01:46:10 PM
I am one of the subcontractors who have not been paid. As of a couple of weeks ago, there were over a million dollars in liens filed on this project. My understanding from a representative of the general contractor says the owner did not keep payments up with them and they pulled off the job, the owner is reporting that the general has been overpaid and was fired. I am trying to find out as much as I can about both entities. My understanding is they are heading for mediation sometime about nowish. When I checked about a week or so ago, this general contractor had filed a lawsuit against Larson Development in Richmond, VA (not on this project, but on the one they worked together on before).
However, the owner has had his attorney send me a letter advising me to "cease and desist" from making any false allegations about his clients, or be subject to severe civil liability for "tortious interference with business relationships", current and future.
It is my understanding from my city councilor my concerns expressed to him about this project and subs not being paid has been referred to legal. I understand that are several hundred thousand dollars of tax abatements on the line from the city. I have also began a conversation with the Oklahoma Historic(al)? Society about the state tax credits that have been applied for.
I do think there are people residing in the development at this time.
I just want to be paid. I do support downtown development and historic restoration, but not on the backs of local subcontractors.
If your contract is with the main contractor (who sounds like they were fired), you need to contact an attorney and file suit against the contractor who you subbed for, and had a contractor to perform work for. If you did not have a signed contract with the developer then there's not much you can do about getting money from them (which is probably why they sent you a cease and desist letter). You need to go after who you signed a contract with to do your work, and they need to pay you - period. If the developer paid the contractor, and they were supposed to pay you, the developer has no obligation to pay you - it's the main contractor. You can always contact the BBB if the contractor that was working on this project is a member and complain to them. Also, you can look into any state boards or affiliations they are members of or certified by and file complaints against them there as well. In general though, from how I've seen subcontractors paid - your beef is likely with the main contractor and not the developer. If the main contractor is telling you they haven't been paid, that's not your problem - if you performed the work they have to pay you. They should have insurance that would cover this if the developer did in fact not pay them.
A friend of mine moved in to one of the interior spaces that has no windows but does have sky lights. Since they work late, they are a big fan of the lack of windows.
Quote from: carltonplace on April 14, 2015, 07:25:57 AM
A friend of mine moved in to one of the interior spaces that has no windows but does have sky lights. Since they work late, they are a big fan of the lack of windows.
As in a residential or commercial space?
Quote from: LandArchPoke on April 13, 2015, 09:58:29 PM
If your contract is with the main contractor (who sounds like they were fired), you need to contact an attorney and file suit against the contractor who you subbed for, and had a contractor to perform work for. If you did not have a signed contract with the developer then there's not much you can do about getting money from them (which is probably why they sent you a cease and desist letter). You need to go after who you signed a contract with to do your work, and they need to pay you - period. If the developer paid the contractor, and they were supposed to pay you, the developer has no obligation to pay you - it's the main contractor. You can always contact the BBB if the contractor that was working on this project is a member and complain to them. Also, you can look into any state boards or affiliations they are members of or certified by and file complaints against them there as well. In general though, from how I've seen subcontractors paid - your beef is likely with the main contractor and not the developer. If the main contractor is telling you they haven't been paid, that's not your problem - if you performed the work they have to pay you. They should have insurance that would cover this if the developer did in fact not pay them.
I understand the privity of contract issue, but we have filed a lien against the property, among several others, and will be enforcing our lien against the property, which is owned by Larson Development. We are also being told two versions of what's going on with this project: one is that the general was fired, and the other is that they stopped working due to not being paid. I really don't care who pays me, as long as I get paid :)
Quote from: Conan71 on April 14, 2015, 09:17:21 AM
As in a residential or commercial space?
Residential apartment
Quote from: carltonplace on April 14, 2015, 10:59:55 AM
Residential apartment
That meets fire code without windows?
Quote from: Conan71 on April 14, 2015, 11:22:16 AM
That meets fire code without windows?
the Abundant Life building has no windows, but it is 95% asbestos. ;D
East Central High School was designed with out windows to eliminate distraction. Back in the sixties I think.
Quote from: AquaMan on April 14, 2015, 12:51:48 PM
East Central High School was designed with out windows to eliminate distraction. Back in the sixties I think.
We called it The Prison when I went there.
Quote from: Conan71 on April 14, 2015, 11:22:16 AM
That meets fire code without windows?
Does fire code compliance factor into a certificate of occupancy in Tulsa?
Quote from: saintnicster on April 14, 2015, 02:35:31 PM
Does fire code compliance factor into a certificate of occupancy in Tulsa?
Most municipalities, not passing fire code and inspection no CTO.
Apparently my claustrophobia just gets worse with age. The idea of living in an apartment without windows makes me buggy.
Quote from: saintnicster on April 14, 2015, 02:35:31 PM
Does fire code compliance factor into a certificate of occupancy in Tulsa?
I thought residential fire code required a window at least in sleeping areas.
Quote from: Hoss on April 14, 2015, 01:09:13 PM
We called it The Prison when I went there.
Had a girlfriend that went there. Took between 6 and 7 minutes to get there from the Nathan Hale parking lot.
Quote from: heironymouspasparagus on April 14, 2015, 08:22:24 PM
Had a girlfriend that went there. Took between 6 and 7 minutes to get there from the Nathan Hale parking lot.
Which prison was 6-7 minutes from the Hale parking lot?
Quote from: Conan71 on April 14, 2015, 10:37:17 PM
Which prison was 6-7 minutes from the Hale parking lot?
That relic of cold war facade that from the air looks like a sad four leaf clover called East Central.
Quote from: heironymouspasparagus on April 14, 2015, 08:22:24 PM
Had a girlfriend that went there. Took between 6 and 7 minutes to get there from the Nathan Hale parking lot.
BOMAR. ;D
Quote from: Conan71 on April 14, 2015, 10:37:17 PM
Which prison was 6-7 minutes from the Hale parking lot?
Like dbacks said - East Central. Kinda was like a prison, even though that building was new at the time - more of an attitude than about the facility.
FUBAR? Our jr. high had a rock band with that name. Teachers never figured it out.
Quote from: AquaMan on April 15, 2015, 09:55:11 AM
FUBAR? Our jr. high had a rock band with that name. Teachers never figured it out.
No ex-military in the teacher corp, huh?
We had ex-military sprinkled everywhere - couldn't get away with anything like that!
Is this what they refer to as "thread drift?" ;D
Quote from: AdamsHall on April 15, 2015, 11:35:18 AM
Is this what they refer to as "thread drift?" ;D
Yes it is.
BOT, where they able to get the four decades of grease, oil and other industrial smells from the service area out of the building?
Quote from: heironymouspasparagus on April 15, 2015, 09:53:55 AM
Like dbacks said - East Central. Kinda was like a prison, even though that building was new at the time - more of an attitude than about the facility.
Had to take a month of summer school there in 1981, and hated the fact that there was no natural light in the classrooms, very depressing. Had a really weird teacher that coached a girls softball team. His name is Ronald Lyons. (let that name sink in for a few minutes)
Quote from: AdamsHall on April 15, 2015, 11:35:18 AM
Is this what they refer to as "thread drift?" ;D
We probably need a new term - not thread drift....more like motorized thread travel...?
Quote from: dbacksfan 2.0 on April 15, 2015, 12:20:54 PM
Had to take a month of summer school there in 1981, and hated the fact that there was no natural light in the classrooms, very depressing. Had a really weird teacher that coached a girls softball team. His name is Ronald Lyons. (let that name sink in for a few minutes)
Is that the one Interpol was looking for in France a few years ago? But didn't find....
Quote from: heironymouspasparagus on April 15, 2015, 01:56:53 PM
Is that the one Interpol was looking for in France a few years ago? But didn't find....
I did not know about the Interpol wanting information, too bad they didn't have him, but yes that was him.
Beer.
#hadto
Quote from: dbacksfan 2.0 on April 15, 2015, 12:20:54 PM
Had to take a month of summer school there in 1981, and hated the fact that there was no natural light in the classrooms, very depressing. Had a really weird teacher that coached a girls softball team. His name is Ronald Lyons. (let that name sink in for a few minutes)
Ronnie Lyons. What a freakin' small world. He was a childhood friend of mine and his dad was my Jr. High gym coach. And yes, he was a bit weird then too.
Quote from: AquaMan on April 15, 2015, 09:55:11 AM
FUBAR? Our jr. high had a rock band with that name. Teachers never figured it out.
Or so they led you to believe.
:D
Quote from: dbacksfan 2.0 on April 15, 2015, 12:20:54 PM
Had to take a month of summer school there in 1981, and hated the fact that there was no natural light in the classrooms, very depressing. Had a really weird teacher that coached a girls softball team. His name is Ronald Lyons. (let that name sink in for a few minutes)
Was that the guy with the grow lights in his basement around 12th & Gary Pl? Think he got busted a year or so before I bought a house two blocks north.
Quote from: Conan71 on April 15, 2015, 10:02:33 PM
Was that the guy with the grow lights in his basement around 12th & Gary Pl? Think he got busted a year or so before I bought a house two blocks north.
No, I think he was a teacher in BA that was found to have nude pics of girls from his classes and was arrested for that and pot charges back in 1987 IIRC, then one of the 15 year old girls that was refused to testify against him committed suicide. He later jumped bail in 1990 and hasn't been seen since.
http://newsok.com/fugitive-not-caught-authorities-report/article/3327787 (http://newsok.com/fugitive-not-caught-authorities-report/article/3327787)
[/email]]http://www.tulsaworld.com/archives/whereabouts-of-convicted-ba-teacher-unknown/article_a9616f24-7125-5e84-b267-169227de24fc.html[email][/email] (http://www.tulsaworld.com/archives/whereabouts-of-convicted-ba-teacher-unknown/article_a9616f24-7125-5e84-b267-169227de24fc.html%5Bemail)
I now return this to the original topic..............
Quote from: WhirledThe owner of one of downtown Tulsa's newest living options has been hit with a foreclosure lawsuit alleging nonpayment for construction services.
MGT Construction, a general contractor based in Richmond, Virginia, filed the suit against Larson Development, also based in Richmond, in Tulsa federal court.
Larson Development is the owner of East End Village, the site of the former Bill White Chevrolet dealership at 401 S. Elgin Ave. that has been converted to 83 living units and two commercial spaces. MGT oversaw its construction and redevelopment.
The lawsuit alleges Larson Development stopped making payments to MGT on Jan. 21. The suit claims MGT is owed $1.1 million.
One day later, Larson Development contacted the various subcontractors working for MGT on the project and attempted to hire them directly, the suit alleges. The suit does not say if Larson's attempt to hire them away was successful, though MGT terminated its contract on March 11.
Calls to Larson Development and MGT were not returned by Monday evening.
So far, the site has been heavily redeveloped with a newly-striped parking lot, mail area and a number of apartment units with doors accessible from inside the southeast building. Several of the units have doormats and other personal effects on the outside, indicating there may be people living there now. It is unclear how many units have been finished.
Two of the buildings at the north end of the development have unfinished interiors.
East End Village's Facebook page includes a May 29 posting indicating it had just one two-bedroom unit available "until October." The last post on the page as of this writing, dated June 2, states restaurant space is available.
East End Village has four separate Craigslist posts offering residential units for lease, all of which went up the same day of this writing. Three advertise one-bedroom units for $1,195, and one lists a two-bedroom unit for $1,395.
A separate Craigslist ad posted June 8 indicates East End Village has 3,200 square feet of commercial space available.
http://www.tulsaworld.com/homepagelatest/east-end-village-hit-with-foreclosure-suit-from-its-general/article_1b6a3575-dbca-5812-b098-944b753d1a5f.html
Nothing we didn't already know, just confirmation and details. And ohmygod the one comment below the article says "You mean demand for 'downtown' living quarters is not that great?" why do I even look?
Quote from: gratherton on June 16, 2015, 12:21:03 PM
http://www.tulsaworld.com/homepagelatest/east-end-village-hit-with-foreclosure-suit-from-its-general/article_1b6a3575-dbca-5812-b098-944b753d1a5f.html
Nothing we didn't already know, just confirmation and details. And ohmygod the one comment below the article says "You mean demand for 'downtown' living quarters is not that great?" why do Ieven look?
Well that person is a little under informed I think. I'd think it was cabbagehead had there been some syntax and spelling errors.
QuoteAlthough Mark Larson is from Oklahoma, most of his previous development work with his company, Larson Development, has been in the Richmond, Virginia, area. To date, he's created 225 apartments in existing buildings in Richmond.
"A mentor got me into a historic tax-credit renovation project in Virginia," he said. "But I had always wanted to get back to Oklahoma."
Larson got his chance with East End Village, a total renovation of the block bounded by Fourth and Fifth streets and Elgin and Frankfort avenues.
The first phase of East End Village, which created 48 apartments on the block, is now completely occupied. Now, an additional 35 apartments are about to be finished by December, along with 6,000 square feet that could be used for retail or office space.
When the dust finally settles at the former site of Bill White Chevrolet, development costs will total $11.5 million, Larson said.
Even though the site has either been used for storage or vacant for the last 50 years, Larson said he believed it was a prime spot for renovation.
"I thought it had a great location and was a great property," he said. "There's a lot of great history there."
The development was a challenging one. The block had an array of buildings with different purposes, including a car ramp that went over an alleyway onto a roof for parking.
On top of that, the site had fallen into disrepair.
"There's mortar that's deteriorated, and the original building had a hole in it where a backhoe had almost fallen through the floor," Larson said.
As a result, the 600-square-foot to 1,500-square-foot units have wildly varying floorplans. Seven of them have private roof decks, while one was built within an elevator shaft. Like the finished apartments, the new apartments will rent for $899 to $2,199 per month.
As for the rooftop parking lot, it's been transformed into a public roof deck usable by all residents.
While the original apartments are located in auxiliary buildings, the new construction is focusing on the two-story showroom building. Of the two nonresidential spaces, one is situated within the glass showroom of the former car dealership. Larson said he's open to either restaurants or office tenants moving in.
Larson said he's pleased by what's happening both at East End Village and in the eastern part of downtown in general.
"We've had great luck so far," he said. "Leasing's happened quickly, and we're excited about the growth we've seen in the area."
As for his next move, Larson Development has already purchased the vacant Jane Phillips Memorial Hospital in Bartlesville and plans to put 62 apartments there.
And Larson said he's actively looking for an additional redevelopment project to take on in downtown Tulsa.
Robert Evatt 918-581-8447
http://www.tulsaworld.com/business/realestate/east-end-village-comes-together-with-a-second-phase/article_daf1a8ae-7304-596d-93b3-4b6b02819ebf.html (http://www.tulsaworld.com/business/realestate/east-end-village-comes-together-with-a-second-phase/article_daf1a8ae-7304-596d-93b3-4b6b02819ebf.html)
I'm glad they built these, they are cool and quirky. I wonder if the inherent oddness might make them harder to rent as more living choices come on line in downtown.
Quote from: carltonplace on October 21, 2015, 07:44:39 AM
I'm glad they built these, they are cool and quirky. I wonder if the inherent oddness might make them harder to rent as more living choices come on line in downtown.
Next Tulsa Now t-shirt, "Keep Tulsa Inherently Odd"
Quote from: rdj on October 21, 2015, 09:17:43 AM
Next Tulsa Now t-shirt, "Keep Tulsa Inherently Odd"
I'd wear that.
There is graffiti in the bathroom of The Colony that says "Keep Tulsa Ugly." In that not everything is shiny and new, and that we have districts like the Brady and the Pearl where old building are only "pretty" to those of us who know what's inside, I say damn straight.
Of course, that's right next to "Roses are red, violets are blue, I have Dora the Explorer and a Happy Meal in the back of my van." So it can't all be gold.
The more I think about the "inherently odd" title, I realize why I liked it when I saw it. Tulsa as always acted like it was "just a little bit different" than the rest of the state. (at least to a kid who grew up in SW OK, and was much more familiar with OKC, and Dallas than I was with Tulsa) Even now in the comments on this forum, the sentiment seems to be that that Tulsa is somehow "just different" (or at least wants to be) than the rest of the state. We need slogan that expresses that attitude.
We can't use "weird", Austin has that one. And I'm not sure "different" has the right connotations.
I actually kind of like "inherently odd". It's got just enough of that hipster self-awareness that makes it work. But if not that, what? Seriously, it would be cool to see something like get picked up and run with.
Quote from: rdj on October 21, 2015, 09:17:43 AM
Next Tulsa Now t-shirt, "Keep Tulsa Inherently Odd"
I actually really like that lol.
Quote from: TheArtist on October 21, 2015, 03:45:04 PM
I actually really like that lol.
Better then the old "TULSA! Socially Awkward!" one.
Quote from: rdj on October 21, 2015, 09:17:43 AM
Next Tulsa Now t-shirt, "Keep Tulsa Inherently Odd"
That may appear at the top of the page at some point too... *cough*
Quote from: TheArtist on October 21, 2015, 03:45:04 PM
I actually really like that lol.
Too bad there isn't a retail store owner that could sell them.
Quote from: sgrizzle on October 21, 2015, 07:50:34 PM
That may appear at the top of the page at some point too... *cough*
Well looky there
Tulsa - it's OK! :-\
Something called "Bauhaus" going in this development on SW corner of 4th & Frankfort.
I know this is a long dead project but I wonder if there would ever be any traction to create a park space similar, but smaller, than what Land Legacy had proposed:
(https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/tulsaworld.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/a5/0a5ecf00-a2aa-5b38-8bb1-43a1b3fd4c68/524cceb226f2d.image.jpg)
Has Brickhugger released any plans for the NORDAM site?
Another plan that included the park space by Crafton Tull. The Edge and Boxyard are both now in that area, if there was going to be an urban park it would have to be the triangle between 4th and 6th, with the new All Souls church being the south bookend
Crafton Tull plan
(http://craftontull.com/uploads/project-media/197/1000-1469206482-tulsa-rendering.jpg)