Gardens condo settles with Kolter, subcontractors for $22.5 million
As a
While less than the
Even if a jury had awarded the community all of the money it sought, appeals from
Attorney
"It's a fair settlement and we just thought it was a reasonable amount," Chaves said. "All of the parties are satisfied with the results and we wish the association and the unit owners well."
Haber credited herculean efforts by court officials in bringing the case to trial and spurring settlement talks. With no courtroom big enough to accommodate the estimated 40 attorneys representing the 18 defendants in the case, court officials reconfigured a courtroom at the
In addition, hundreds of extra jurors were summoned for what was expected to be a more than month-long trial. Thursday was the third day of jury selection.
That's when settlement negotiations began in earnest, he said.
The accord was announced in open court in
Not only have homeowners had to live in with never-ending leaks, but condo fees escalated by as much as 10 percent a year to bankroll legal fees and emergency repairs, she said. The combination created tensions that were exacerbated any time it rained and water found its way into more condos, she said.
"The community itself needs to heal and then we need to heal the building defects," she said.
Repairs won't be easy or instantaneous, Haber said. It will be three months before all the money arrives. Plans for the remedial work have to be approved and contractors hired. He estimated it would be two to three years before construction is complete.
Still, Durham said, the end is in sight. "This was a big hurdle we jumped today," she said. "We can finally take a deep breath and push on with what we have to do."
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