Unit Owners

Raising the ante in a legal battle over alleged shoddy construction, owners of Abingdon condominiums have named 12 more defendants in an amended lawsuit and increased damages sought from $115 million to $385 million.Attorneys for the Council of Unit Owners at The Pointe in $H Constant Friendship filed the original suit against Cockeysville developers The Pointe Inc. and Henderson-Webb Inc., and Baltimore structural engineers Skarda and Associates Inc. in January 1992.The suit sought compensation on behalf of 228 unit owners, alleging "severe problems" with roofs, walls, floors, stairs and doors.

Residents of an Elkridge condominium complex have reached a settlement with a well-known Howard County developer and the builders and subcontractors associated with the 74-unit complex, staving off what was expected to be a lengthy and complicated trial in Howard County Circuit Court. Officials with the Council of Unit Owners of Springleaf at Orchard Club Condominium Inc. have agreed to settle for $1.425 million from developer L. Earl Armiger, builder James W. Miller Inc. and others three years after the condominium association filed suit claiming that the complex was not built or designed properly and that money was never set aside for upkeep as promised.

Dear Mr. Azrael:I am becoming a board member in a condominium association and I would like to know what my responsibilities [are] and what should I look for as far as putting myself into a legal bind if there should be one?I need to know the things I need to do to protect myself.Joseph StevensonWoodlawnDear Mr. Stevenson:The affairs of a condominium are managed by a council of unit owners. In larger condominiums, the council usually is incorporated. A board of directors is elected to handle the policy-making decisions for the condominium.

Dear Mr. Azrael:I am becoming a board member in a condominium association and I would like to know what my responsibilities [are] and what should I look for as far as putting myself into a legal bind if there should be one?I need to know the things I need to do to protect myself.Joseph StevensonWoodlawnDear Mr. Stevenson:The affairs of a condominium are managed by a council of unit owners. In larger condominiums, the council usually is incorporated. A board of directors is elected to handle the policy-making decisions for the condominium.

Owners of more than 200 Abingdon condominium units will share in a $2.6 million settlement to fix leaks, buckling floors, drafty windows, peeling paint and other problems that became apparent in 1989 shortly after construction of the condos had been completed.The agreement was reached Feb. 24 with 14 defendants, who were responsible for the development, design and construction of The Pointe Condominium.The defendants included The Pointe Inc., a subsidiary of Henderson-Webb Inc., a Cockeysville developer; Menefee and Associates LTD, a Baltimore architect; Skarda and Associates, a Baltimore structural engineering firm; Gabco Masonry Inc. of southern Pennsylvania; and other trade contractors.

A Worcester County District Court decree signed yesterday gives the Carousel Hotel and condominiums four months to comply with Ocean City fire and building codes.Under the agreement, which extends a 10-day deadline imposed on the property by safety inspectors, town safety officials will monitor the repairs closely as they are made between now and April 30, the new deadline.Also spelled out is a schedule for specific repairs and renovations to correct 40 violations of Ocean City building and fire codes.

When satellite dish antennas first came on the market some 13 years ago they were large and ugly, like giant rice bowls sprouting in a greensward. So it was understandable that condominium and other homeowner associations tightly restricted their use.But too often the unit owners didn't care. According to the Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association, the trade association for satellite dish reception based in Alexandria, Va., about 364,000 residential satellite systems were installed in 1992, twice as many as the 130,000 systems installed in 1982.

ABINGDON -- Condominium owners at The Pointe in Constan Friendship say they feel ripped off, frustrated, angry and scared. They bought into an alleged giant lemon of a housing development in the last four years and fear the bitter taste will last longer than the roofs over their heads.Problems with leaks, buckling floors, drafty windows, faulty plumbing and peeling paint cropped up almost immediately. Then an independent engineering firm, hired by the Council of Unit Owners, warned the residents that structural design flaws, inferior material and shoddy workmanship could allow the roof trusses to collapse under the weight of a heavy snow.

Residents of an Elkridge condominium complex have reached a settlement with a well-known Howard County developer and the builders and subcontractors associated with the 74-unit complex, staving off what was expected to be a lengthy and complicated trial in Howard County Circuit Court. Officials with the Council of Unit Owners of Springleaf at Orchard Club Condominium Inc. have agreed to settle for $1.425 million from developer L. Earl Armiger, builder James W. Miller Inc. and others three years after the condominium association filed suit claiming that the complex was not built or designed properly and that money was never set aside for upkeep as promised.

Residents of a Towson condominium cannot prohibit businesses in the complex from having customers use the lobby as an entrance, the state's highest court ruled yesterday.The Court of Appeals said Ridgely Condominium Association Inc. could not require clients of an accountant to use the outside entrance to his first-floor office in the 28-story building in the 200 block of E. Joppa Road.The accountant said yesterday that the case cost him $20,000, but that he fought it out of principle and it was worth it."

The sales brochure for the Club at McDonogh Township promised condominiums "built with the highest quality construction materials" in "an environment of lasting beauty that you'll be proud to call home."Ten years later, the 132 condo owners at Reisterstown and Greenspring Valley roads in northwest Baltimore County call their homes a disaster -- full of water and air leaks, ill-fitting windows and doors, hazardous fireplaces and leaking heat pumps.They say even some of the nails were hammered in wrong.

A Worcester County District Court decree signed yesterday gives the Carousel Hotel and condominiums four months to comply with Ocean City fire and building codes.Under the agreement, which extends a 10-day deadline imposed on the property by safety inspectors, town safety officials will monitor the repairs closely as they are made between now and April 30, the new deadline.Also spelled out is a schedule for specific repairs and renovations to correct 40 violations of Ocean City building and fire codes.

Residents of a Towson condominium cannot prohibit businesses in the complex from having customers use the lobby as an entrance, the state's highest court ruled yesterday.The Court of Appeals said Ridgely Condominium Association Inc. could not require clients of an accountant to use the outside entrance to his first-floor office in the 28-story building in the 200 block of E. Joppa Road.The accountant said yesterday that the case cost him $20,000, but that he fought it out of principle and it was worth it."

Owners of more than 200 Abingdon condominium units will share in a $2.6 million settlement to fix leaks, buckling floors, drafty windows, peeling paint and other problems that became apparent in 1989 shortly after construction of the condos had been completed.The agreement was reached Feb. 24 with 14 defendants, who were responsible for the development, design and construction of The Pointe Condominium.The defendants included The Pointe Inc., a subsidiary of Henderson-Webb Inc., a Cockeysville developer; Menefee and Associates LTD, a Baltimore architect; Skarda and Associates, a Baltimore structural engineering firm; Gabco Masonry Inc. of southern Pennsylvania; and other trade contractors.

When satellite dish antennas first came on the market some 13 years ago they were large and ugly, like giant rice bowls sprouting in a greensward. So it was understandable that condominium and other homeowner associations tightly restricted their use.But too often the unit owners didn't care. According to the Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association, the trade association for satellite dish reception based in Alexandria, Va., about 364,000 residential satellite systems were installed in 1992, twice as many as the 130,000 systems installed in 1982.

Raising the ante in a legal battle over alleged shoddy construction, owners of Abingdon condominiums have named 12 more defendants in an amended lawsuit and increased damages sought from $115 million to $385 million.Attorneys for the Council of Unit Owners at The Pointe in $H Constant Friendship filed the original suit against Cockeysville developers The Pointe Inc. and Henderson-Webb Inc., and Baltimore structural engineers Skarda and Associates Inc. in January 1992.The suit sought compensation on behalf of 228 unit owners, alleging "severe problems" with roofs, walls, floors, stairs and doors.

Saying a heavy snowfall could collapse the roofs over their heads, homeowners at The Pointe condominiums in Abingdon have asked a court to order repairs.The Pointe Condominium Council of Unit Owners, representing the homeowners, seeks a Harford Circuit Court order to force the developer, builder and engineer to repair six buildings' roofs by Nov. 1.An Illinois architectural firm the condo owners hired to inspect the buildings concluded a heavy snowfall would collapse the roofs because of faulty trusses.

Homeowners at The Pointe condominiums in Abingdon are suing the developer, builder, engineer and architect, claiming faulty construction of the homes poses safety concerns and a decline in property values.The Pointe Condominium Council of Unit Owners, representing the 228 homeowners of the complex, filed the suit in Harford Circuit Court Jan. 9, citing "severe problems" with roofs, walls, floors, stairs, balconies, windows and doors.They want $115 million in compensation.The suit also alleges problems with the electrical, mechanical and fire protection systems in buildings.

ABINGDON -- Condominium owners at The Pointe in Constan Friendship say they feel ripped off, frustrated, angry and scared. They bought into an alleged giant lemon of a housing development in the last four years and fear the bitter taste will last longer than the roofs over their heads.Problems with leaks, buckling floors, drafty windows, faulty plumbing and peeling paint cropped up almost immediately. Then an independent engineering firm, hired by the Council of Unit Owners, warned the residents that structural design flaws, inferior material and shoddy workmanship could allow the roof trusses to collapse under the weight of a heavy snow.

Saying a heavy snowfall could collapse the roofs over their heads, homeowners at The Pointe condominiums in Abingdon have asked a court to order repairs.The Pointe Condominium Council of Unit Owners, representing the homeowners, seeks a Harford Circuit Court order to force the developer, builder and engineer to repair six buildings' roofs by Nov. 1.An Illinois architectural firm the condo owners hired to inspect the buildings concluded a heavy snowfall would collapse the roofs because of faulty trusses.