Landmark on Central

Have you heard any news about the plumbing lawsuit at Landmark Tower? This could effect prices and requiring a whopping special assessment. I'd like to buy but it is risky without more info

I hear rumors that the lawsuit for $12M in repairs and lawsuit is not anywhere near being settled soon. $12M/200units represent $60K per owner. That near the price of the condo. So if the lawsuit is lost, that could mean a whopping special assessment, and I would guess property values drop as well, probably loose 1/2 value.

The court case is still going on, and I see alot of dismissals.
http://www.superiorcourt.maricopa.gov/docket/CivilCourtCases/caseSearch.asp
case number is CV2009-005413

I understand problem is the large plumbing pipe from basement to 17th floor are worn out. As these are located behind the walls without access space, the repair price is high

Rob

"Owner" - i think its very unlikely that the Republic will write a follow up article but your comments and those of others will make a differrence with almost 7,000 people visiting this site every week. Also I'll update this page soon to reflect the improved condition of Landmark.

I feel that The Arizona Republic needs to revisit The Landmark. With only six units showing for sale on this page and only two for rent (dated 11-10-2011), you had better hurry to own one of the best investments on N. Central Ave. The major problems of heating and A/C have been repaired, the elevators are being renovated, the movie theatre is being upgraded and the deck and recreation room on the top floor have been improved greatly. So, come on down, Arizona Republic or are you unable to print some good news?

According to the AZ Republic there is major trouble at Landmark on Central.

Thanks for all the info on Landmark. We will be heading there next Easter in 2012 to view some houses. I keep the tips in mind.

I was the construction manager at the time of the initial renovation of the Landmark from the Camelback Towers. I have not been associated with the owner since 2006 however, first let me say that the renovation while in apartment stage was done under the scrutiny of the City of Phoenix inspection agency\'s including the Phoenix Fire Dept that gave it high praise. In order to not undermine the integrity of the previous comments but to correct by others I will state that 1. There was no \"cutting of corners\" with exception of fit and finish for budgetary reasons only. For example, the owner wanted to salvage as many of the working appliances as they could so the money could be better spent elsewhere in the renovation. The general contractor from time to time perform menial tasks in-house in lieu of hiring a subcontractor for non licensed required work (i.e. a faucet that needs replacing is not required to be done by a licensed plumber) 2. Hazmat was of the highest priority during the renovation. There was a private 3rd party inspection agency that made surprise inspections as well as scheduled ones. Not one violation was recorded through construction. The residents were the highest priority that received detailed schedules to every task that was performed on their floor. Some residents were temporarily or perminently relocated to apartments where upgrades were previously performed with no rent increase. Many of the residents were elderly and treated with even more exceptional care by the owner, management, construction and maintenance staff. 3. Many of the residents were inconvenienced through construction and as it looks, even today they hold a grudge against the construction activities. 4. The City of Phoenix including the FD handled all permitted inspections; there was not one fail notice. 5. Some wiring was not performed during the first renovation so attaching \"a jumbled mess\" in an electrical outlet could easily be placed on original work, faulty maintenance work or work done by the tenants themselves. The only electrical work that was performed was done for the renovation changes only. 6. Construction never built \"false ceilings\" however some units required a vertical chase to be installed where low voltage access could not be managed elsewhere. 8. The general contracting was performed by a leader in the apartment renovation industry. The subcontractors were of the highest caliber and I wouldn\'t hesitate to hire them for any of future projects, in fact- I have. 7. Maintenance staff from the prior owner was abysmal. The owner did keep a little \"fireball\" on the staff who was amazing and performed tasks not taken on by the GC! I was there for the grand opening and gave the tours the guests including photographer and reporter from The AZ Republic. The reviews for the property were A+ and although originally inconvenienced, the majority of the tenants loved the improvements. May I also say that I befriended many of the tenants a couple of which bought their units when it went condo and they still enjoy their lives at The Landmark. I hope my remarks leave a balanced perception. I have no attachments to the then or current owner, if any.

I have lived at Landmark for 3 months now and really like it. The boiler was replaced in December, no heat or hot water issues since. No electrical issues to speak of. The only issue has been a small water drip that was fixed the same day by building maintenance.

I worked there for the majority of the renovation. The area surrounding it had issues and there were corners cut, this was during the phase when they were going to the apartment route.

Alton - you have a wealth of info on Landmark. Thanks so much for sharing. I'll be sure to contact you directly when we have additional questions. W

Like Executive Towers, the Landmark was built with the popcorn ceilings. During the initial remodel from Camelback Towers to Landmark, they installed "false" sheetrock ceilings to add overhead wiring. Any additional flaws (ceiling water spots from leakage) could also be covered using this technique. Not saying that this was done, but...

The penthouse (18th floor) is as I recall is a big studio and does not have a dedicated bedroom.

On the northeast side of the unit and behind a wall is what I think may be part of the elevator system. It gets real hot in that section of the unit and one may hear some humming noises behind the wall.

Also, you'll probably hear some dinging noises from the elevator bell just outside the entrance.

The clock tower from Brophy Prep is heard from about 7am till 6pm-ish and the volume is toned down afterwards. One can hear it softly in the later hours.

Like Executive Towers, the wiring is old and looks jumbled when you open up the outlet casing. I wouldn't worry too much about blowing circuits unless one is running a bunch of power hungry devices at one time. I would recommend taking two power hungry blow dryers with you and turn both on in a bathroom and see if the outlet reset button "pops".

Like Executive Towers, dust is constant. I would recommend purchasing the 3M Allergen (purple box) filters for the unit. Use duct tape and wrap completely around the filter to secure and control air flow. You will be amazed how much dust you pick up and the quality of air pushed out from the outtake vents. Air volume will be slightly reduced, but the quality is well worth it.

It's also great t minimizing food smells traveling through the building.

I'd further recommend purchasing weather stripping around the front door and using clear silicone to seal the bottom housing on the sliding glass doors. Wind often creeps underneath the door frames and makes a whistling noise when the wind kicks into high gear. It's also great at stopping rain from flooding the unit.

One may also experience problems in cell phone signal drops if you life on the north side of the building. TV signals can be poor as well. Forget about getting satellite dish coverage on the north side of the building.

Receiver antennas, as I recall are located on the top of south mountain and some satellite dishes can not get thru the building when pointed south from the north side patios.

Contact me direct with further questions. It was by chance that I checked back to see if anyone commented on my recent post.

Alton - Thanks for all the great "insider" information. What have you heard about the electrical system and air conditioning lately? W

I rented in this building in unit 17J (top southwest corner) in January 2003 - November 2005 during the transition from Camelback Towers to Landmark Towers.

At the initial time of rental of 17J in 2003, I held the option to rent it for a mere $25 for about 6 months with a personal check.

17J was a 2 bedroom when it was Camelback Towers, but was converted to a 1 bedroom as Landmark Towers. I moved, because they wanted to sell the unit to me for about $300,000.

Many have complained about the plumbing problems in this building on some of the floors (typically 12th and below) and the bird problem near the top of the palm trees around 10th floor. On the top floor, I never had plumbing problems in my unit.

I had a parking space on the 1st floor or the parking garage on the northwest corner which received some, but not much flooding. The lower garage floors seemed to have more flooding.

This building does not have a freight elevator, so if you have large funiture you may experience problems. Check to see if their crane works.

When large storms hit the valley, power often goes out and is restored typically 30 min to an hour later.

I'm willing to chat with anyone who has questions about this building.

Good Evening,

I am seriously interested in a two-bedroom unit with a view. This would be a second home for me and my partner. We live in (removed by wku), TX and I have family in Phoenix. I am not an investor, I am not looking for short term, and not interested in flipping. I have read the controversy with The Landmark, but I believe it may be a decent long-term prospect. And it could be a perfect retirement home for us in about 15 years. I am a mortgage underwriter and I work for (removed by wku), so I am pretty savvy with real estate and mortgages. I also happen to love mid-century architecture, Phoenix and the idea of a true second home there. I used to spend time with an aunt and uncle in the Encanto Estates area when I was younger. Please contact me at your leisure. I\'m in no hurry, but I would like to gather more information.

Many thanks,

Name (removed by wku)
cell (removed by wku)
home (removed by wku)

I'm getting more and more phone calls about this community. Before you call to rent or buy PLEASE read this blog http://www.weknowurban.com/blog/phoenix-high-rise-and-loft-condos/landmark-and-orpheum-lofts-blasted-by-az-republic/. According to the AZ Republic there is major trouble at Landmark on Central.