Tenants say luxe Jersey City building floods, is a ‘nightmare’
For Jordan Mendelson, 28, dwelling in a luxurious constructing with a rooftop swimming pool, personal gymnasium, floor-to-ceiling views of Manhattan, the Hudson River and Statue of Liberty all a stone’s throw from New York Metropolis seemed like a dream when she obtained the keys to her $3,600-per-month, two-bedroom condo in September 2020. However six months later, it grew to become a dwelling nightmare.
In March 2021, Mendelson, an lawyer, obtained a frantic name from her fiancé whereas she was on the hair salon, saying the elevator of their 49-story constructing in Jersey Metropolis — 70 Greene — had flooded.
“There was water pouring down within the elevator. We ended up having to climb up 72 flights of stairs,” Mendelson, who lives on the thirty sixth ground, instructed The Publish. She mentioned it took her 40 minutes to hike as much as her condo, the place she discovered her cat scurrying in fright, amid no energy and a leaky ceiling.
“We hadn’t skilled something like this,” she mentioned, noting a pipe burst within the constructing. The identical factor occurred, she mentioned, in April 2022, and as soon as once more — and at its worst — earlier this month. That point it was so dangerous that hordes of residents needed to relocate to close by lodges for 4 days, sources instructed The Publish.
In response to the listing portal Rent, Jersey Metropolis is now the most costly US metropolis to dwell in, however these dwelling in 70 Greene say it’s hardly an opulent life. Greater than 260 of the constructing’s residents have been sounding off in a group chat in regards to the constructing’s administration — publicly owned actual property firm Fairness Residential, which owns quite a few waterfront properties in Jersey Metropolis, in addition to New York Metropolis, DC, Boston, San Francisco and others. Among the gripes embrace upkeep workers unable to show off the constructing’s water throughout the newest floods, which reportedly led to a nine-month-pregnant girl falling down a flight of stairs as she tried to exit the constructing. Different complaints embrace leaks inflicting property harm, and elevator and sizzling water outages.
Over the past flood, the elevator dropped 10 flooring earlier than the emergency brake kicked in, one supply instructed The Publish. (Fairness Residential denied this declare.) Extra proof and scathing opinions will be discovered on Google, Yelp and TikTok.
“This constructing is an entire nightmare. It was duct taped collectively years in the past and its pipes explode each six months,” a Yelp person who goes by John B wrote of 70 Greene.
“The elevators had been designed by squirrels and solely function 25% of the time. I don’t care what web site tells you its [sic] 5 stars or who within the constructing says its [sic] a luxurious constructing DO NOT LIVE HERE,” he urged within the one-star review.
Different present residents would agree, notably after the final flood incident.
“You needed to discover your method by means of a darkish staircase. Coming down 32 flights of stairs was simply inconceivable. It was full lockdown for the constructing,” a 46-year-old resident who has lived within the constructing for 5 years and requested to stay nameless instructed The Publish.
“There was no motion plan from Fairness till 4 days after the incident. Think about simply being homeless for 4 days? You couldn’t get a resort room as a result of the lodges had been packed from residents. The truth that it took 4 days to provide you with a decision plan is remarkable, particularly in a spot the place rents are exorbitant,” they mentioned.
A spokesperson for Fairness Residential famous that residents will get reimbursed for resort stays and property harm. The spokesperson instructed The Publish they had been unaware {that a} pregnant girl fell in the course of the August constructing flooding.
One other resident, Clarissa Latman, posted a video on TikTok after the final flood exhibiting puddles of water leaking from the elevator’s ceiling, a flooded gymnasium, dirty carpet and residents climbing up flights of stairs as firetrucks appeared to evaluate the scenario outdoors the constructing.
“I’ve lived right here for greater than three years, and have skilled numerous harmful circumstances which got here to a head after our third main flood as a consequence of negligent upkeep of the constructing’s pipes,” mentioned one other resident, who requested The Publish to stay nameless out of concern of constructing retaliation. “The constructing has been giving us the run round, not speaking with us,” mentioned the supply, who additionally claimed 70 Greene was “deleting opinions” whereas upping the lease by as a lot as 30%.
Jersey Metropolis, usually referred to as the invisible sixth borough of New York Metropolis, can command a median of $5,500 in lease, in line with a report by the listing portal Rent, as beforehand reported by The Publish. Mendelson began packing her luggage after seeing her personal two-bedroom condo listed for $5,942, up from the $3,600 COVID deal she obtained in 2020.
“We ended up chasing them [70 Greene] for a lease renewal and so they got here again at $4,400, however it was nonetheless a $600 improve in a single yr,” Mendelson mentioned,
One other girl paying near $3,900 for a one-bedroom, who requested The Publish to depart her identify out, mentioned she suffered $1,500 in property harm from the newest flood when leaks from the ceiling in her Fifteenth-floor unit broken clothes, sneakers, bedding and private objects within the condo she shares along with her accomplice. Fortunately, she had renter’s insurance coverage and mentioned the constructing had provided to pitch in.
“Sadly we did just lately have a pipe burst at 70 Greene which resulted in water harm to numerous condo items in addition to widespread areas and impacted the common operation of the elevators,” Fairness Residential spokesman Marty McKenna instructed The Publish.
“We’ve labored with the impacted residents to search out different lodging, which we’re paying for. We’ve additionally provided lease abatements to the residents. We’re working with our contractors to evaluate the reason for the pipe burst and to make the required repairs at 70 Greene.”
Mendelson, nonetheless, is cautious of such messaging from the administration firm in spite of everything she’s seen. She and her fiancé can be transferring subsequent month.
“It’s not price it, on the finish of the day,” she mentioned.
