Glen Fishman, May 20, 2009
Dan broke the story today about the sale of The Monarch's unsold units and raises some questions about the consequences.
I had been chasing that story myself, as best I could under my current circumstances. In fact, I was in the tax assessor's office just days ago to check whether the sale was posted in the big tax book on the counter. The name I had was LGP Plainfield LLC. There was no change indicated, but staff in the Assessor's office had been on vacation when I first asked and catching up after sick leave when I asked last week.
City officials in this administration and the past one have wrangled with Dornoch over condo fees as well as a disputed amount that Dornoch claimed the city owed for fit-out of the Senior Center. Is that matter resolved? As I recall, Corporation Counsel Vernita Sias-Hill received authorization from the governing body recently to negotiate a settlement.
I learned that all back taxes and liens on the unsold condos were paid off recently by a company called Virgo Municipal Finance Fund LP of New York and that tenants had received a letter to that effect, talking about foreclosure, even though tenants are not liable for back taxes. My last check of the tax book a month or so ago revealed 22 condos owned privately and 41 still owned by Dornoch.
One owner told me earlier this year that he and several others were dismayed by the situation and were trying to sell and leave Plainfield altogether. Among owners' complaints, tenants allow dogs to roam and relieve themselves in the hallways, the common areas are not kept clean, they feel misled in buying and the condo association is a cumbersome mix of private owners, the city and the owner of the unsold condos.
How did this all begin? At a time when Dornoch was pulling out of projects in other towns, former Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs made the senior center a key re-election campaign promise in 2009. The May event at which developer Glen Fishman was caught looking so pensive was a pre-primary whoop-de-do with a parade of dignitaries assembling at the center on a one-day temporary certificate of occupancy. Robinson-Briggs won the June 2009 primary, defeating then-Councilman Adrian Mapp by a margin remarkable to local conspiracy theorists as nearly the exact number won by a perceived "spoiler" candidate.
Only gradually did the "promise made, promise kept" rhetoric prove to be somewhat false. But it did the trick, giving Robinson-Briggs four more years in charge.
FYI - On Plainfield Plaintalker and its successor, Plaintalker II there exists a full archive of posts on Dornoch and The Monarch. Put a search term in the box at upper left to search either blog.
--Bernice
This is what happens when you have poorly informed individuals running the show -- all around poor planning, poorly executed business deal.
ReplyDeleteAfter about 40 years of downward spiraling don't folks in Plainfield realize that the people they continue to elect year after year are not working in their interest.
Stop voting for the same flunkies over and over again - keep the change moving along!
Thank you as always for shedding light on this enormous quandary that has been ongoing since The Monarch’s inception. I and the other owners have been unrelenting in our pursuit in demanding accountability and transparency. The hardworking professional men and women of The Monarch are a tremendous asset to the 1st Ward and the trepidation that many of us have is that our investment, in which many used their life savings have been squandered in this abortive project.
ReplyDeleteWe remain determine to see this entire situation to completion and will do whatever it takes to protect and maintain a decent living environment. Our quality of life will not be undermined by outsiders to our city who prey on unsuspecting hardworking people. My disappointment is on the ineptitude of those who were supposed to negotiate in the best interest of the city and its residence. Where was the due diligence into the background of Glen Fishman? What happen to requiring substantiation of other successful projects?
It is a sad commentary when developers are allowed to come into urban cities predominantly minority and feel that they can take advantage of its citizens. Well, this is one instance that will not succumb to such insipid and truculent acts. The new owner(s) of these rentals will have to deal with an assertive and aggressive board. I also appeal to the City as a Stakeholder to be vocal and engaged from the standpoint of safeguarding tax payer’s money and demanding transparency with the finances and accountability.
The end result of what happens with The Monarch will be a reflection of The City of Plainfield. Did the city allow itself and its residents to be undervalued, underestimated and marginalized? Only time will tell. I remain optimistic.
I can't help but think that when you have a population of people who think that it is OK for dogs to relieve themselves in the place where they live, that I am living in a foreign land. Who thinks that is OK except trashy, disgusting people.
ReplyDeleteWell atleast all the City Staff ate well at the kick-off picnic under the tents that bright sunny day.
ReplyDeleteBuyer beware.... if I were "interested" in the original proposal all I would have needed to do was pull up in front of the building, look next door and all around and would have said, "you've got to be kidding me"....it looked like hell then and still does.... per the City and the "FREE" Senior Center.. the voters of the city got the snow job they wanted.
ReplyDeleteWasn't Jerry Green involved in bringing that development with Dornoch and Fishman here?
ReplyDeleteJerru Green worked with Sharon to give the taxpayers the shaft. Notwithstanding, idiots keep voting for losers and not for progress.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear that anyone would have bought in that building. Take a look outside. It was there when you came in to look and its still there. Nothing has changed yet. Its ok for a rental, but not to invest a life's savings into. Sorry for those that did.
ReplyDelete