Reseda : Condo Builders Sued Over Alleged Flaws

A lawsuit has been filed against the builders of the Park Avenue condominiums in Reseda, alleging that the 72-unit complex in the 20000 block of Sherman Way is plagued by shoddy workmanship.

The suit filed by the homeowners association alleges that defects ranging from cracks in the underground garage and patio area to a lack of fire-retardant materials and ceiling insulation have been discovered in the complex as far back as 1991.

Gershon Development Corp. of Woodland Hills and Sherman Way Development Co. of Tarzana, who built the condominiums in the 1980s, are named as defendants in the action.

“We’re stuck with an inferior building and the builders aren’t taking responsibility,” condo owner Sindee Kritzberg said. “I paid a lot of money for my unit that I’m now finding serious problems with.”

The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court in June. Occupants moved out of the complex that month to begin structural repairs, according to Randy West, president of the Park Avenue Homeowners Assn.

Pipes leaked, air-conditioning units failed to work and small cracks snaked across the concrete surrounding the pool. Sparse insulation between apartments meant that residents could easily hear conversations and smell what a neighbor was cooking, West said.

“It was unbearable,” Kritzberg said. “It made living in my unit hell.”

Although the suit specifies no monetary amount, Michael Hearn, the association’s attorney, said the cost to make repairs and compensate displaced residents may reach $6 million.

Even though residents are no longer living at Park Avenue, they still have to make mortgage payments on their condominiums. In addition to paying for the repair of the building’s alleged defects, the association took out a loan to cover the cost of repairing damage from the Northridge earthquake, which caused the homeowners association to raise monthly dues.

“I felt like a prisoner to the condo,” said Kritzberg. “I couldn’t sell it. I couldn’t do anything to it.”

Attorneys for the developer declined to comment on the action.