Condo owners in turf war after apartments built without city approval
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A turf war is unfolding between residents of a westside condomimium neighborhood and a developer over a new apartment complex.
Cory Lotz, president of Bishops Pond Condominium Homeowners’ Association, told News 8 that the big issue for residents of the condominium complex is the traffic the apartments construction is causing.
“This has been an enormous stressor. I mean, the board has been working day and night to try and make this thing right. We spent a lot of money and a lot of time,” Lotz said.
Lotz says parking is already tight at the condominium complex near Coffman Road and 62nd Street on the northwest side of Indianapolis. He’s concerned the new apartment complex won’t have enough spots.
Construction started in the spring, with several apartment buildings going up directly next to the Bishops Pond condominiums and more being built in the middle of the neighborhood.
“We had kids that were out here, this is were people would play. My wife and I would play Frisbee here. It was a nice open green space for the neighborhood,” Lotz said.
He adds that he has been trying to work with the New York-based developer on fixing the parking problem. “We brought up this issue of parking over and over and over again, and it’s kind of gone nowhere.”
The HOA hired a security guard to chase away construction workers since they were using the community’s private road to access the site.
“Everyday just in and out, we’ve had to block our entrance for a period of time,” said Lotz.
Lotz put several calls into the Mayor’s Action Center and called the Department of Metropolitan Development (DMD).
Dr. Carlos Perkins is a Democrat on the Indianapolis City-County Council with a Doctor of Ministry degree. He represents the area. Perkins says although the plot of land is technically zoned for apartments, the developer should have at least notified the community of the project. “From what we have gotten from (the city’s Department of) Business and Neighborhood Services, that even though the property was zoned correctly for the type of building that’s on there, the final packet never got approved, and there was an ask from the DMD to get that packed approved.”
News 8 called the developer for comment did not hear back before the story aired Tuesday night.