December 6th 2024.
The Edge of Lowry apartments in Aurora, known for its dilapidated state and recent viral video showing armed men in its hallways, will soon be closing its doors. A deal has been reached between city officials and the owners of the apartments, which was discussed in an Aurora municipal court session. The attorney representing the apartment owners agreed to not contest the city's efforts to close the troubled property, leading to a proposed settlement.
While the details of the closure are still uncertain, it is unlikely to happen before mid-February. Peter Schulte, Aurora's city attorney, stated that residents will be given at least 30 days' notice before the building is closed. The city has also promised to assist tenants in finding new housing and will hold the property owners responsible for any costs incurred during the process.
The settlement was reached as a resolution to the city's attempts to label the apartments as a criminal nuisance and force its closure. Under the proposed agreement, the Edge of Lowry will be closed for a year while the city makes necessary repairs. The property will then be returned to its formal owners, Five Dallas Partners, which is a subsidiary of CBZ Management. Unfortunately, CBZ has overseen the property's decline over the past five years since they purchased it.
According to Schulte, the city will place a lien on the property to recover any expenses related to fixing it up and rehousing current residents. In court, the lawyer representing the apartments and its owners, Walter Slatkin, stated that they are not admitting or denying any of the facts presented but do believe that the property should be closed. Slatkin declined to comment further after the hearing.
Nate Kassa, an organizer for the East Colfax Community Collective, expressed relief that the city is finally taking action against CBZ's poor management practices. However, he also expressed concern for the current residents of the Edge of Lowry, estimated to be between 120 and 200 people. Kassa believes that CBZ has an obligation to provide alternative housing for the tenants before closing the building to ensure a smooth transition.
The Edge of Lowry's closure marks the end of CBZ's presence as an active landlord in Aurora. The company previously operated four apartment complexes in the city, but the closure of this property will bring an end to that. In August, Aurora officials ordered the closure of another CBZ property on Nome St. for being uninhabitable. Two more properties, including a building within the Edge of Lowry complex, have been placed under the care of a court-appointed caretaker due to the Baumgartens' failure to repay loans secured by the buildings.
This closure also marks the end of the city's long-standing efforts to bring the Edge of Lowry into compliance with safe housing codes. The property has been the subject of numerous tenant complaints and municipal investigations for issues such as lack of hot water and heat, mold and pest infestations, and poor security. Tenants reported that CBZ was slow to respond to complaints, and sometimes didn't respond at all.
The closure also brings an end to the Baumgartens and CBZ's attempts to blame the property's conditions on a gang that they claim took over the property. However, Aurora Police have stated that while a Venezuelan gang was present at the Edge of Lowry and other CBZ properties, they were not the cause of the property's deterioration. A video taken by a tenant earlier this year showed armed men in the building's hallways, which drew attention from former President Donald Trump, who held a rally in Aurora in October. However, city officials have denied the claims of gangs taking over the property, stating that the criminal activity came after the property had already fallen into disrepair and the owners had abandoned it.
In an interview with The Denver Post, Schulte stated that regardless of the cause, there was criminal activity present at the Edge of Lowry. The city's position is that the gangs came in after the property was already in a state of disrepair due to CBZ's mismanagement.
Aurora's dilapidated Edge of Lowry apartments have made headlines for all the wrong reasons. A viral video of armed men in the hallways brought international attention, even catching the eye of former President Donald Trump. But now, after a deal was reached between city officials and the apartment owners, the troubled property is set to close in the coming months.
The proposed settlement was discussed in a municipal court hearing, where the attorney for the apartment owner agreed not to contest the city's efforts to shut down the property. While the exact details of the closure and what will happen to current residents are still unclear, it is expected that the 60-unit complex will be closed for at least a year for repairs. City attorneys and the apartment owner's lawyer will reconvene in January to discuss further plans.
It is uncertain when the apartments will officially close, but it will not be before mid-February at the earliest. Aurora's city attorney, Peter Schulte, stated that residents will be given at least 30 days' notice before the building is closed. The city has also promised to work with tenants to find alternative housing and will charge the property owners for any costs incurred in the process.
The agreement was made in an effort to resolve the city's push to label the apartments as a criminal nuisance and force their closure. Under the proposed settlement, Edge of Lowry will be closed for a year while the city addresses the numerous issues within the complex. Afterwards, the property will be returned to Five Dallas Partners, the formal owners and an offshoot of CBZ Management.
CBZ Management has overseen the property's deterioration since purchasing it five years ago. Schulte explained that the city will place a lien against the property to cover any costs incurred in fixing it up, including rehousing current residents. "We're not admitting or denying the facts set forth in the case, but we do agree that the property should be closed," said Walter Slatkin, the lawyer representing the apartments and the owners.
Nate Kassa, an organizer with the East Colfax Community Collective, who has worked with CBZ's tenants, expressed some concerns about the closure. While he sees it as a positive step, he worries about where the current residents will go. He estimated that between 120 and 200 people live in Edge of Lowry and believes CBZ has an obligation to provide alternative housing before the building is closed.
The Edge of Lowry's closure will mark the end of CBZ's presence as an active landlord in Aurora. The company also owns four other apartment complexes in the city, but one was ordered to be closed in August due to uninhabitable conditions. Two more properties, including one within the Edge of Lowry complex, have been taken over by a court-appointed caretaker after the owners defaulted on loans.
This latest closure is the city's final effort to bring the Edge of Lowry into compliance with safe-housing codes. For years, the property has been the subject of tenant complaints and municipal investigations for a variety of issues, including lack of hot water and heat, mold and pest infestations, and poor security. According to tenants, CBZ was slow to respond to complaints, and sometimes didn't respond at all.
The closure will also put an end to CBZ's attempt to blame the property's conditions on a gang that they claim has taken over. However, Aurora police have denied these claims, stating that the gang presence came after the property was already in disrepair and abandoned by the owners. The release of the video, along with CBZ's claims and the support of an Aurora city councilwoman, drew Trump to the area for a rally in October. However, city officials maintain that the focus should be on CBZ's mismanagement rather than recent criminal activity. "Their position is that it's been taken over by gangs," Schulte stated. "Our position is that the gangs came in after it was dilapidated and had abandoned the property. Regardless, there was criminal activity there."
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