Lantana Apartments

[John_T]

Are there any plans to do something about Lantana Apartments near 10th and rockwell? Not only are these things an eyesore, but they are a haven for crime and gangs and have been vacant for over 3 years now. Not to mention the pizza boy that was killed there. Anybody know the plans for this blight?

[mkjeeves]

I wonder how much longer citizens in NW OKC will keep putting up with the city's lack of action on this? Looks like a poster child for a no vote and sending money from the burbs for improvements somewhere else.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Neighbors claim an abandoned apartment complex is now a haven for arsonists and other criminals.
City officials say the Lantana Apartments, near N.W. 10th and Council Rd., have been vacant for more than five years.
This weekend, fire crews were called to put out a blaze at the complex, which has become a regular occurence.
“It’s been exposed to the elements. It’s been exposed to vandalism and it’s been on fire multiple times,” said District Fire Chief Benny Fulkerson, with the Oklahoma City Fire Department.
He says that since 2010, fire crews have been called to the complex 18 times.
Five of those calls have been in just the last month.
Residents who live nearby say they do not want to deal with the problem any longer.
“They need to tear it down or let it burn. One or the other,” said John Ewing, who lives near the complex.
Broken windows and burned out buildings are just some of the problems you can see from the street.
An unkempt property of which neighbors have grown tired.
The city says the complex has changed from one owner to another over the years. With each change, the promise of repair.
“Each time, we really hope that will happen,” said Kristy Yager, with the City of Oklahoma City.
But rather than being repaired, the building continues to fall into disrepair.
“It’s the city’s number one nuisance apartment. No property is worse than Lantana,” said Yager.
The city says to tear it down would cost them close to $1 million.
“One of the problems is that building is just covered in asbestos,” Yager said.
Right now, the city’s best effort is billing the owner in California for every emergency call.
That bill is $65 per firefighter or police officer per hour their time is used.
Still neighbors are not happy.
“It’s not safe for our school. It’s not safe for our children and it attracts undesirable people,” said Rita Swonger, who lives nearby.
Neighbors believe the city is ignoring their concerns and should be doing more.
The utilities have been turned off to the complex for some time. Fire officials say all of the fires, at least those in the last month, appear to have been intentionally set.

?No property is worse than Lantana,? Neighbors, city officials tired of abandoned complex | KFOR.com

[mkjeeves]

The story from the day before:

OKLAHOMA CITY – Another day brings another fire at the Lantana Apartments.
The 190 units on N.W. 10th between Rockwell and Council have been sitting empty for about 10 years.
Neighbors say they serve no good purpose.
“It’s a hide a hole, hidey hole for the bad guys,” said Greenvale Neighborhood Association president, Rita Swonger.
Residents around the vacant complex say it catches fire at least a couple of times a year.
“It was just on fire a couple weeks ago, maybe a month ago. It’s continual. They’re going to run out of buildings eventually,” said John Ewing.
Many of the buildings have extensive fire damage.
And because firefighters are well acquainted with this property, they immediately took a defensive mode fighting a fire that broke out just after 12:30 Sunday afternoon.
“With the history of the apartments here, with them being set on fire or catching fire several times,” said District Chief Cathy Hayes with the Oklahoma City fire department.
Nearby residents say they’ve brought their concerns to the city council before, but that they were told since the city doesn’t own the property, their hands are tied.
“All the city and the mayor and all them guys are focused on their little playground downtown and they’re not worried about us here on the edge of town,” said Ewing.

More:
Abandoned apartment complex known for catching fire burns again | KFOR.com

[ljbab728]

Remember this?

OKC considers rules for dilapidated structures | Oklahoma State Home Builders

The city had their hands somewhat tied by the state legislature and had to try to find other solutions.

[mkjeeves]

Remember this?

OKC considers rules for dilapidated structures | Oklahoma State Home Builders

The city had their hands somewhat tied by the state legislature and had to try to find other solutions.

The property has been abandoned for about 8 years prior and about a year since the city added new rules. I'm not sure they needed the registry to remember the place.

OKLAHOMA CITY -

Oklahoma City has a new tool in its struggle to rid the city of dilapidated buildings that can ruin property values.

It's a new ordinance that cracks down on people who abandoned their houses and other structures.

“Our ordinance today allows for an escalating level of fines,” says OKC Asst. City Manager Laura Johnson.

Maintenance fines can reach $500, but property owners can also be charged if a fire starts or police are called.

“$73 dollars per firefighter for every house that they are there,” says Johnson.

The city has 12,000 abandoned structures right now.

5/25/2013 Crews Douse Fire At Abandoned NW OKC Apartment Complex

One of the city's worst abandoned properties is the old Lantana Apartment complex at NW 10th St. and Greenvale Rd. The abandoned structures sit directly across from an elementary school, and have been set on fire several times.

The city says Lantana Apartment's owners, who live in California, owe more than $50,000 in back fines. However, the city can't acquire the property without having a clear purpose on what would go up in its place.

OKC Issues New Ordinance To Crack Down On Abandoned Buildings - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports |

How about grass? Maybe they need to hire a consultant to make a plan if they lack imagination. (It's about 5 feet in weeds between the burned out buildings now.)

[zookeeper]

The property has been abandoned for about 8 years prior and about a year since the city added new rules. I'm not sure they needed the registry to remember the place.

OKLAHOMA CITY -

Oklahoma City has a new tool in its struggle to rid the city of dilapidated buildings that can ruin property values.

It's a new ordinance that cracks down on people who abandoned their houses and other structures.

“Our ordinance today allows for an escalating level of fines,” says OKC Asst. City Manager Laura Johnson.

Maintenance fines can reach $500, but property owners can also be charged if a fire starts or police are called.

“$73 dollars per firefighter for every house that they are there,” says Johnson.

The city has 12,000 abandoned structures right now.

5/25/2013 Crews Douse Fire At Abandoned NW OKC Apartment Complex

One of the city's worst abandoned properties is the old Lantana Apartment complex at NW 10th St. and Greenvale Rd. The abandoned structures sit directly across from an elementary school, and have been set on fire several times.

The city says Lantana Apartment's owners, who live in California, owe more than $50,000 in back fines. However, the city can't acquire the property without having a clear purpose on what would go up in its place.

OKC Issues New Ordinance To Crack Down On Abandoned Buildings - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports |

How about grass? Maybe they need to hire a consultant to make a plan if they lack imagination. (It's about 5 feet in weeds between the burned out buildings now.)

Interesting read below.

Eminent domain, sometimes referred to as condemnation, is the most powerful tool in local government’s property acquisition toolkit. Rooted in ancient English legal traditions, eminent domain is the governmental power to take property from its owner against the owner’s will when that property is needed for a public purpose or public use. While eminent domain was used historically to take land for public facilities, such as roads or parks, the Federal 1949 Housing and Urban Renewal Act expanded its scope significantly, by providing that:

• The redevelopment of blighted areas for more productive uses was a public purpose permitting the use of eminent domain, and

• Properties could be taken for redevelopment by a governmental entity through eminent domain and then resold to a private entity to redevelop, rather than having to be used directly by government.

This act, which was highly controversial at the time, was upheld by the United States Supreme Court in the landmark 1950 Berman v. Parker decision, which was affirmed by the Court in the controversial Kelo v. City of New London decision in 2005. All uses of eminent domain for affordable housing, neighborhood revitalization and redevelopment today stem from this fundamental decision.

More on this at State of New Jersey Spot Blight Eminent Domain

[mkjeeves]

Yep. The city knows all about it.

The Oklahoma City Council voted 7-1 Tuesday to declare a 692-acre area south of downtown blighted and subject to urban renewal.

The move allows the city to use eminent domain to buy land for MAPS 3 projects, including a $130 million, 70-acre downtown park and a $280 million convention center.

Oklahoma City has plans for blighted area south of downtown | News OK

[zookeeper]

Yep. The city knows all about it.

The Oklahoma City Council voted 7-1 Tuesday to declare a 692-acre area south of downtown blighted and subject to urban renewal.

The move allows the city to use eminent domain to buy land for MAPS 3 projects, including a $130 million, 70-acre downtown park and a $280 million convention center.

Oklahoma City has plans for blighted area south of downtown | News OK

Which supports your point of selective use to improve the downtown area at the expense of blight in the outer rungs.
If there ever was a case for its use outside the inner city - this is it.

The city says a million to tear down. They could raise that standing on the corners with a tin cup and pencils.
(As long as they are the right corners - with somebody who could profit off the action.)
.

[ljbab728]

It looks like, to answer the original question, soon.

Dangerous apartments could soon be demolished | KFOR.com

[bchris02]

It looks like, to answer the original question, soon.

Dangerous apartments could soon be demolished | KFOR.com

Unfortunately, it looks like they only plan on tearing down 7 of the 18 buildings. I don't know why they don't just get rid of the entire complex.

[mkjeeves]

Unfortunately, it looks like they only plan on tearing down 7 of the 18 buildings. I don't know why they don't just get rid of the entire complex.

Almost a half measure! Progress.

[ljbab728]

There may soon be nothing left for the city to raze.

Oklahoma City apartments catch fire | KFOR.com

[bchris02]

OKC fire crews battling west side apartment fire | Oklahoma City - OKC - KOCO.com

I find it kind of funny that I already knew what apartment complex it would be before clicking the link. Why is it this complex catches fire so much?

[ljbab728]

OKC fire crews battling west side apartment fire | Oklahoma City - OKC - KOCO.com

I find it kind of funny that I already knew what apartment complex it would be before clicking the link. Why is it this complex catches fire so much?

Well at this time of the year it's not from intruders trying to keep warm. Meth labs?

[Urbanized]

More likely set by vandals.

[Just the facts]

Sounds like a good place to start prairie restoration. They need to just let it burn to the ground the next time it catches fire.

There are a couple of other large apartment complexes in the area as well; how are those faring?

[rezman]

More likely set by vandals.

Or by disgruntled neighbors.

[David]

"Oops, this troubled, vacant, completely worthless apartment complex just burned to the ground. What a loss."

[OKCretro]

meth users need a place to live too.

[Urbanized]

Or by disgruntled neighbors.

I think it was mkjeeves...come on mkjeeves...we won't tell.

[mkjeeves]

It was on fire when I got here, officer.

There's 16 or 18 buildings. Some are divided into several sections by concrete firewalls. Some are close to occupied buildings.

I might light a fire by using a drone and making an OKC promo video. Or just cut a few missing shots into some of those videos we have now.

[kevinpate]

Maybe someone decided the local fire crews needed more exercise and practice opportunities?
If so, probably far better there than on property for which someone still cares.

[hoya]

My life for you.

[bchris02]

Firefighters fed up as abandoned apartments burn again | Oklahoma City - OKC - KOCO.com

Don't know why they don't just let it burn and get it over with. It's laughable that the owners say they are going to secure the property and revitalize it.

[rezman]

If the City doesn't want to spend the money all at once to demo the place, then once a month or so, someone can set it ablaze, and the fire department can let it burn a little, and put it out... One building at a time, untill it's all reduced to ashes, then they haul off the rubble. .... ... Just think of it as an installment plan.