Forte integrated

Thanks MoMoYa for the referral!

What is the window line concern?

Fortetobe - Plz check out the comprehensive explanations by Zinka about the lot lines bordered on A & D lines on the thread "Forte Rebooted".
http://streeteasy.com/nyc/talk/discussion/16435?page=3
It's not an imminent concern b/c there's currently no plan for tall buildings on the north & west side of Forte. But technically, if the market turns (which I doubt could happen within a decade), other developpers could build something totally blocking the north & west exposures in the A. However, I also recall Zinka saying that the beloved Harvey theater being torn down and replaced by a highrise is astronomically improbable.

As promised, here's the estimation for solar shades in C line:
1. Fabric: 3% openness (the highest UV & light blockage), black or dark brown color (for a minimal view toward outside);
2. total cost: about $3700, including installation, plus tax.
3. note: that is at the 40% discount ccforte negotiated for group purchase and that it is only a ball park. Differences of only a couple of inches between floors can sometimes mean as much as $100 difference. Different fabrics can have tremendous differences in cost. Also, the lower levels often cost a bit more because the windows are a couple of feet taller.
Turtle reported that the B line cost about $1500 with a 30% discount offered by Budgetblinds when Forte was just completed. The estimation for C more than doubles that but does not seem out of chart to me b/c it has double number of windows and calls for more functional fabrics.
Just FYI.

I wanted to respond to a couple of people who have mentioned drafts/cold air during their walkthroughs. A number of us in the building had an issue with cold air seeping in around the aircon/heating unit when we first moved in, and/or with a whistling wind coming through. It turned out that the unit was not properly sealed against the wall, and we had to have the super remove and re-install the unit (which sounds scary but actually only took about 15 minutes). That solved the problem for most of us. So if you notice a cold air or whistling problem, maybe suggest they try resealing the unit.

also, leom, i agree that solar shade estimate seems reasonable for the C line given how many more windows there are than B. we got the dark brown color and it looks very nice.

Turtle// Thank you for the advice. I am relieved that whistling noise from heating unit is easy to fix. I would like ask heating question if you don't mind. I wonder how heating in each unit works. As far as I know, heating is included in common charge, but when I checked my unit, there is no thermoset, air intake hole or heating pipe. Is the heating unit only source of heat in the unit? and is it electrical heating?

joahjoah - the heating units are the only source of heat (and they are plenty at least for the B line - the general building heat is already fairly warm, so we only turn ours on on the coldest days). the heat is included in the common charge. there is no thermostat - just an off/low/high button on the unit, and a knob to turn it from warmer to cooler. i'm pretty sure that it is steam heat and there is a boiler in the building, although i could be wrong. i have never had a complaint about the heat, but i believe there was a problem with it one night in December when I happened to be out of town, but it was fixed by the next day. hope that helps!

Seems that Forte doesn't need a boiler b/c they buy steam heat from the city. In fact, that's part of the reason why the cc is higher according to their own explaination:
http://curbed.com/archives/2007/03/08/fort_condo_explains_charges_knocks_competition.php#more
"Our operating expenses include steam from the city. Other buildings create their own steam with a boiler in the building. This saves the owner from paying higher electrical fees than other buildings with heat-pump units."

turtle..Thank you very much!!

leom - thanks for that info and for clarifying about the boiler!

Did my first walkthrough a couple of days ago -- was pretty smooth but the vanity in the master bathroom was warped. They are going to replace the kickboard, but said they wouldn't replace the vanity -- it's not a huge thing, but since it's made out of particle board and absorbs a lot of moisture, the likelihood that it would have to be replaced in a year is pretty high. Did anyone run into this problem? Think there's any room for negotiation before the closing next week?

Hi all. We are on the contract stage of things, but wanted to ask a few things:

Have any of you obtained overhead lights in the bedrooms or living room areas? We want to figure out a rough budget.

Did anyone a quote to put in a backsplash? There did not appear to be one when I walked through. Knowing what can happen when one is missing, it is a priority for us to put one in.

What appliances are in the units? I know the items are GE Profile, but I did not write down the model numbers.

Also, what are the condo rules on getting work done in an apartment (asked but have no word back yet on that point)? We are considering an island with a small freezer for meat (we only eat Kosher meat, so a freezer would be great), and want to know what restrictions there are.

Has there been any movement on the amendment to decrease the price of the super's unit?

Also, when I asked about the boiler, they said their were two and that building does not buy steam from the city. Is there any way to independently confirm this (other than calling the management company).

Fortetobe -

We're wondering the same question about the overhead lights. Because it's a concrete ceiling, it sound like it will require cutting a channel into the concrete... or running an exposed wire from a wall (which could maybe work for a track lighting setup.

Definitely no backsplash as-is, but you could probably get by with oil-based paint. We're also looking at some tile options but haven't got a quote.

As for appliances, I didn't write down model numbers, but I went to GE's site and tried to match up our photos from the Forte w/ current models. There might be slight differences as the Forte units are 2007 models, but you get the general idea:

Range - http://products.geappliances.com/ApplProducts/Dispatcher?REQUEST=SpecPage&Sku=PGB900SEMSS

Fridge - http://products.geappliances.com/ApplProducts/Dispatcher?REQUEST=SpecPage&Sku=PDCS1NCYRSS

Dishwasher - http://products.geappliances.com/ApplProducts/Dispatcher?REQUEST=SpecPage&Sku=PDWT380RSS

And the other appliances:

Microwave - http://products.geappliances.com/ApplProducts/html/GEAResults.htm#Category=Over-The-Range_Microwave_Ovens&Filters=BRAND!GE$20Profile~COLOR!Stainless (one of the "SpaceMaker" series)

Washer/Dryer - http://products.geappliances.com/ApplProducts/Dispatcher?REQUEST=SpecPage&Sku=WSM2780HWW

Fortetobe, next time you're at the building ask whoever is working at the front desk to give you a "rules and regulations" binder - it has all of the details regarding getting work done, your move in, etc..(they gave it to us weeks in advance of our closing)
Essentially, the management company (Caran) needs to be provided Certificate of Insurance details from any contractor doing any work, no matter how minor it may be, and if your job requires electrical, moving walls, etc...(anything major, in other words) your contractor has to provide them a detailed plan of what they intend to do. Lastly, work can only be done M-F between 9-5.

With regards to the color of shades or blinds, personally I would suggest white or off white. For some reason, when you have a building with units that have shades of different colors (red, black, brown, white etc...), from outside, it looks pretty rough on the eyes.

regarding the blind color-- note that most good solar shade fabric materials are woven to have two different 'faces'. typically you want the light/white color to face outside to reflect the sun's rays and heat gain away from the building interior. the interior face, however, is often a darker color so that from inside the building there is less interior light reflecting off of the material, allowing for a better view of the outside.

regarding the overhead fixtures, if the main high ceiling is the underside of slab, the contractor would have to channel something into the structural slab (if you wanted the conduit to be hidden) but this would obviously need to be approved by the building/management company. you don't want to be cutting into a structural slab or possibly rebar without making sure it is structurally ok.

theark1z, correct re: channeling into the ceiling slab. It's likely the condo docs prohibit that.

Fortetobe, check whether there're already painted-over boxes in the ceiling for light fixtures. Each would be controlled with its own switch, or the switch that controls the switched outlets. There should be in the bedrooms, but less likely in the living room.

I didn't see any. It surprises me that the ceilings are straight concrete and not dropped with at least some drywall. Oh well. Has anyone tried?

Yesterday we met with Eric from Budget Blinds, Julia from Transform Closets, and Ramiro Ortiz, a painter. We are on the D line.

For the living room blinds we are considering 3% solar in Conway Ivory from the Signature Series. For the bedrooms we like the non-see-through solar shade option in Cotton color, from Russell Light Filtering / Signature Series. The quote was for about $3,100 plus tax. We liked Eric a lot and will probably go with these.

There are some tricky things about placing the shades in the D line--specifically the space between window and pillar is narrow, and you have to choose between having more of a sun gap at the southwest corner (if you have the shades rolling under) and having an awkward out-hang where the shade starts right after you enter the door (if you have the shades rolling over).

He mentioned that he can only guarantee the 40% discount for purchases made by Feb 15. After that it might need to be 30% but it sounded somewhat TBD depending on the level of orders from the building.

We also met with Eric yesterday re: blinds (Chelsea we are 22B, not 22D as Eric thought). We are also thinking we will probably go with the solar blinds and Eric thought this would be somewhere around $1,500 because the B line has less windows. We did not actually have him take measurements in our unit yet, so this is his rough estimation based on other units he has measured.

To add a little detail on the Feb 15th date, we understood from Eric that the issue with the date is that he will go to his suppliers with a large order and negotiate a bulk discount from them which he will pass on to us. This will only work if he can actually put in the order all at the same time -- hence the Feb 15 date. So I think to get the discount, you need to have the measurements taken and the colors/materials picked out by Feb 15th so he could put in an order. He said the shades would likely take three weeks to get here after the order was placed. As far as extending the discount goes, it would work the same way -- if he can get a critical mass of people whose orders he can place together he will be able to negotiate another bulk discount.

MoMoYa thanks for the info, we are psyched to get our rules and regs binder!

Hey everyone, I have an accepted offer at Forte. I was wondering where you guys were getting your financing done. Any luck getting a mortgage with zero points up front?

> it's a concrete ceiling, it sound like it will require cutting a channel into the concrete

I can't imagine thats good, unless you want the floor above you to cave in on you.

Thanks somewhereelse ;) Yes, after further online research, it doesn't seem like cutting a channel in the ceiling is an easy or advisable way to go. And, as was mentioned above, it's probably not allowed in the first place.

So, it looks like a soffit, drop ceiling, or track lighting might be the best options. We're hopefully meeting an architect for a consult this Saturday. Will let you know what we here.

The rules and regs binder seems to require approvals for almost everything (I know I should be happy we are so well run, rather than finding this irritating). Has anyone discussed with the managing agent what type of paperwork, if any, is required for basic things like painting and floors?

Also, is there anyone else in the B line who is planning to add the second bedroom? It might make sense if there are several of us to have the same person do the work -- we can try to get a group rate and maybe it will be easier to fill out all of the approval paperwork since the construction should be substantially the same in every apartment.

Oh, and apt_hunter, I think many people are getting financing through Scott Sullivan at Wells Fargo. Wells Fargo has 'building approval' for 230 Ashland. The financing contingency in our contract required us to get some type of preapproval from him anyways. If you look through the thread people also mention a couple of other places. Initially not all lenders would finance in the building because of the large number of unsold units, but I doubt this is going to be a problem for you. Not sure what you mean by zero points upfront, but we aren't required to pay any points that I am aware of -- they are just an option if you want to lower your interest rate.

KJLR - I'm in the B line. Did you mean enclosing the alcove adjacent to the kitchen? I was planning of putting in by-passing doors to separate that space, but haven't done any research yet.

Yes, exactly. I don't know if you saw the floor model on the 26th fllor (a/k/a the sales office), but we are basically planning to copy that set up or do something similar. It's just a straight wall from the obvious space between the windows to the wall behind the washer/dryer closet, with a door. I guess your comment shows that people may be considering more options than I originally thought for enclosing the space.

Hi KJLR,
We are going through a bunch of work right now. For painting and floors, you would only need your contractors to send the managing agent the certificate of insurance. I think they would need actual plans if you are doing more extensive work that involves electrical.

Thanks for the reply KJLR. I was shopping around online when I was getting pre-qualified, and some places like chase were offering a 5.25% mortgage with an 1.375% upfront fee. I was just curious to see what everyone else was seeing and from who.

Excited about moving to forte!

hunter - I'm sure you can do much better than w. Chase. My credit union is offering 5.125% for 30 y fixed that doesn't require any point, w. an additional discount of 0.125 for first time home buyers. Unfortunately, it only offers service to members so I can't refer you. However, I've been told their rates are not the most competitive even at that level (I'm going w. it all the same b/c of convenience). Someone on this board reported that Forte has already been approved by Fannie Mae. So you should have a lot of choices.
Rates have improved again to historically low after ticking up about half point around X'mas & New Year. Many experts are recommending lock-in right now. Wish you good luck!

This site tracks daily rates, MBS price & yield, Treasury auctions as well as macro economic data that are related to rates pricing. It's based in the south but the trends seem to be in sync w. NY. Hope it could be of use to you:
http://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/channels/newsletter/131471.aspx

thanks for the info leom. everyone's so friendly and helpful. sorry I don't have anything to share at this point! Totally new to this whole thing.

Yes, Forte is now Fannie Mae approved so you shouldnt have any problems finding lenders. We're lending in the building as well. For conforming loans, one should be able to get around 5.125% with 0 pts. Please remember there is a rate add-on for condos financing more than 75%. sunny.hong@bankofamerica.com

We are still at the contract stage (or waiting for the contract). It sure takes them a long time. Not sure why really.

Cutting a channel into the concrete is perfectly normal and accepted, and results in MUCH better aesthetics for lighting. The concrete is a foot thick; a 3-inch channel won't affect its structural stability.

Fortetobe, how long have you been waiting for the contract?

zinka-- are you sure the concrete in question is one foot thick?
this is not typically the case in most residential flat plate poured concrete construction which i believe forte is. the slab is probably closer to 8" thick and cutting 3" deep channels into ANY slab will very likely start cutting into rebar which is NEVER a good idea.
making a blanket statement like 'cutting... a 3-inch channel won't affect its structural stability' is an extremely dangerous thing to say, unless you are a structural engineer and know the details of the slab in question.

it doesn't matter how thick the concrete is you can't cut a channel into it. there is rebar in the concrete and it is never more than 2" from the bottom of the slab, top of the ceiling.

We've been waiting 2 weeks.

Where do you think the wiring for the existing ceiling fixtures comes from? Through a channel drilled into the ceiling, undoubtedly.

Zinka, the lighting installed was likely pushed through raceways or pipes put in before the concrete was poured. Once the rebar is in place, it is a whole new ball of wax.

That's possible about the raceway. Anyway, my electrician was able to drill a channel without hitting rebar. Maybe it's less than 3 inches deep; not sure.

The packers have left and the movers are coming in the morning...move day tomorrow : )
Just wanted to let everyone know that we are beyond happy with everyone we hired to do work for us - Master Painters, albeit VERY slow turned out to be amazing. Highline Design ripped out our existing closets/prepped them for our new doors (to follow in about a month). transFORM installed great closet inserts and Wood Floors by Classic sealed our floors today. Contact numbers, if interested can be found in some of my previous posts. Look forward to meeting all of you when you move in!
Cheers!

MoMoYa, do you have pictures of what you did with the closets? Curious to see some options.

Momoya, How much were the floors to have sealed?

Andra, do have pics but probably won't get a chance to upload them til next week. When I do, I'll figure out a way to put them in the google group thing.

Fortetobe....we're in C line (roughly 1200sqf) and they cost just under $1200. Not sure if we got a deal or overpaid, as we didn't have time to shop around. They were great to deal with and flexible with our limited time frame.

Good luck with moving day!

Good luck Momoya! I'm also interested in your closet pics.

george and MoMoya - what was the final verdict on the floors? do we have to seal them? is there a way of sealing them but leaving the floors looking as much as possible as they do now (i love them!)?

congrats on the move! my closets are amazing! :)

does anyone have any ideas about the backsplash? why is one necessary anyways? can oil- based paints do the trick?

chelsea - how much was Ramiro charging for painting? did he seem good?

JJ1918, I was also going to ask about the ideas for the backsplash, it is important, because paint even if oil based gets dirty or burnt with cooking...
About the closets... what is the approx. price you are getting from Transformers?

I am not sure whether the floors "really" needed another coat of sealant or not. The guy who quoted us came when our place was in a state of dust disarray due to the sanding/skimming that the painters were doing at the time. To him, he said that adding an additional coat of sealer would help protect the floors and would be cheaper/easier to do now vs. doing it down the line once there is furniture in the apt (which requires it having to be done piecemeal, working around the furniture).
We too liked it "as-is" and made sure that what they were doing did not result in "super shiny" floors (blech)...the end result was a cleaner, 2% shinier look that we're very happy with.

Anyone installing exhaust fans in the bathrooms instead of vents?

Hey, future neighbors.

Ramiro the painter seemed extremely careful and expert. However, the price was higher than we were hoping to pay -- the quote was for $4,600 in labor and $500 materials. That was for painting all rooms in a D unit, with darker colors on one wall per bedroom, maybe oil-based on kitchen backsplash (though we are also considering tile) and bathroom (where we are also considering wallpaper, since I really liked how that looked in the model unit), and for fixing some minor cracks and other issues. He estimated it would take 21 person-days.

Marcel from Master Painters is coming by today at 3 pm to give us another quote.

We are also meeting with an architect at 2 pm today at the apartment to get some hourly advice. We're going to ask him about a kitchen island, lighting, how to fit in desk space, etc. Will report later.

Today will be our third visit to the apartment post-accepted-offer, and we are really appreciative (we're now in contract). However, it seems to be getting harder to get in now that all of the places but one are sold-- both our agent and the building agent need to be there to let us in. We lost our California Closet appt today because we weren't able to get in earlier. Again, we understand that they have no obligation to let us in at all, besides for an inspection. But it's so much easier to plan and talk to vendors when you are actually there!

Perhaps it would be easier for us and the building if we coordinated access a little bit? Has anyone else run into this? We expect to be at Forte from about 2-4 pm today.

If you are around the Forte this afternoon and want to say hi, my phone is 646-271-5198. santhonys will be around as well.

We're going to be there today as well. 2:30 to 3:30 I think. We are going to measure. What apartment isn't sold?

chelsea23, we are going to be out from around 11-4ish today..if we think we'll be back before 4 I'll give you a call and you guys can come by for a drink or something and see Master Painter + transFORM finished product in person. Maybe you can also help us unpack. haha..just kidding. Would be great to meet you guys!

Here is my wife's cell (917)751-7452. MoMoya, we would be interested in seeing the work you had done. Please let us know if you get back before 4.

That sounds terrific--Fortetobe, we'll call your guys this afternoon. MoMoYa, we'll probably be there later than 4 . . . we'll be in 23D or you can call.

George/Momoya, if it is not an imposition we would also love to see your closets and floors and meet future neighbors. We will call and see if we can connect up with people this afternoon. Looking forward to meeting everyone!

Thanks for meeting with us today. It was great to see an apartment with work done in it. Thanks again.

Also, MoMoYa, here is the info about TWC Tivo issues. Just so you know what to do if the channels disappear. http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=417886

It was great meeting al of you yesterday...look forward to seeing you guys in the months ahead.
Fortetobe, thanks for the tivo info...fingers crossed that we'll have no issues : )

Hello, everyone. My fiancee and I - after a six-month housing search that spanned Fort Green, Prospect Heights and Park Slope - are in contract, and currently are slogging our way through the mortgage application process. The comments and feedback left on this site have been invaluable, and have answered many of our questions; so thank you to everyone who has generously participated in the ongoing discussions. There was an article in today's NYT regarding new construction, in particular, new construction that came to the market in 2007 and 2008. Outside of the window issue (which our attorney has yet to obtain from the product sponsor their plan for remediation), is anyone aware of any other building defect? Does anyone know if investors bought large blocks of units (I believe there was an article in Barron's about an investor inquiry). And finally, did anyone get financing through a lender other than Wells Fargo? Thanks in advance.

Stucazzo, I think most of the major banks are lending for this building. The advantage with Wells is that they are familiar with the building and it should make the lending process a little less of a headache than with others, but obviously not a reason to choose a higher rate, if that's the case. I found all of the lenders to be consistent if not dead even on rates.

Do any of you know whether the network cable in the walls is Cat 5 or Cat 6? I forgot to read the codes on the cables when I looked at them.

They are Cat5e. I was hoping to have them swapped out with cat6 though.

Hi all, just a heads-up that when you move into the building you might also want to join the existing Forte listserve, which is a Google groups administered by one of the first residents. The email address is fortecondo@googlegroups.com, and the site is http://groups.google.com/group/fortecondo It's not as active as this site, but still good for building-related information and questions.

Sounds like an expensive proposition. I am not sure how easy it would be to pull them all through the walls with the other wires as guides, but it seems to be a pain in the butt. I wanted to rout speaker wires through the walls of the living room, that would be hard to do as well...

Hi everyone! Sorry if I missed the answers to these questions in earlier posts.

Looks like some of you used Advanced Inspections. Were you happy with their work?

Also, I too am concerned with the windows. What remedies have the seller offered? Are they agreeing to fix any window problems before closing?

Thanks everyone!

Hey, here's a report from our meeting with an architect on Saturday. He identified some punchlist items we hadn't noticed:
*In larger master closet, the corner bead is loose
*Tightening up outlet covers
*The automatic glide for the kitchen silverware drawer doesn't close all the way

As far as general advice, he thought we should wait on deciding about a kitchen island and built-in cabinetry along the long living room wall (in the D unit)--he said we should live in the space first and make sure we were willing to give up that space. He said both items would make the room feel smaller, and it's not all that big to start with. He recommended a 5 x 3 counter-height table that we could sit at, instead of a kitchen island--that would meet our desire for more kitchen workspace, but not for more kitchen storage. (We then saw some nice options for this at Room & Board in Soho.)

Regarding shades, he recommended DFB Shades (John Dobbs, 718-729-8310); we haven't decided if we'll follow up on that, because we liked Budget Blinds. He also said to consider a short chain with breakaway for child safety.

Kitchen: He thought a simple tile backsplash would be attractive, and said we should remove the vertical piece of granite when we add the tile.

Colors: He recommended cool colors for the kitchen/living room, because of the steel, the white cabinets, and the dark olive cabinets.

He disliked the ceiling light in the kitchen and recommended that get a new hanging light fixture and move it to over the table, and to swag the cord over from where the current light is.

Bathrooms: He recommended adding two overhead lights in the master bath: one in the main part of the room and one in the shower. In the second bathroom, he said just one would be needed. The toilets are flow-restricted. He thinks the sink in the master bathroom looks like Calcutta Gold marble. He recommended drying the bathroom floors immediately after washing them, because the grout soaks up dirt. He said to avoid wallpaper in the bathroom.

Wood floors: He said that sealing them was not necessary, but that if we wanted to do it for aesthetics, we could.

Lighting: He recommended just using floor and table lamps in the rooms, and said that the top half of some of the outlets would be "switched" or controlled by the light switches at the entrance to the rooms.

A/C: The units are called PTAC ("p-tack"), for packaged terminal air conditioner. He said they can become clogged easily, and suggested buying extra filters and changing the filter first before we report that a PTAC unit is broken.

I think that's it!

For those of you who have already moved in: Did you like your movers? If yes, can you please share name and contact info (and approx cost if you're comfortable)? I've moved a few times in the city before, but always with uninsured "man with a van" type services.

I had great luck with All American Movers. http://www.allamericanmovers.net/ny/ny.html They were fast, on time and cheap for my moves with them. I think they have moved me and/or my friends 10 times at this point. No complaints.

Hi Everyone,

My husband and I are also in contract and very excited!
Just a couple of questions: Those already living there any
word on having a bike rack/storage? Also, I tried joining
the google group but was denied. Do you know how I
can get access. My gmail account is bklynapt24@gmail.com

Looking forward to meeting everyone and creating a community!

Apt Hunter: I used Advanced Inspections and wasn't thrilled with them, but think (hope?) that they did a good job. My main complaint was that they weren't very interested in explaining what they were doing during the inspection or answering questions. Nonetheless, they pointed out some major issues (nothing that can't be fixed - and the biggest issue being the casement windows), and a bunch of minor things.

Oh, and on the window issue. One of the casement windows is out of alignment and won't open, but thankfully it doesn't leak. My attorney noted that they have acknowledged this issue in the Offering Plan and are obligated to fix it. I asked to be provided a remediation plan, but the sponsor has not come back with one, which worries me as they don't need to set aside any money in escrow if the issues is not resolved after all the units are sold and they no longer have a financial interest in the building.

Asia1324// try joining groups.google.com/group/230ashland it is open to everyone.

Asia1324, I second the request for information on a bike rack. It seems like there is not a lot of space in the lower levels of the building though to create one.

stucazzo,

Thanks for the feedback on Advanced Inspections... Hmm, that they aren't too good at explaining stuff. But I'm most concerned about the windows, so I guess as long as they are thorough there, I'll be happy.

Anyone successful in negotiating some sort of window repair contingency into their contracts?

Here is a link about the SALES SUCCESS of the Forte!

http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2010/02/call_it_a_comeb.php#comments

I am more concerned about the super's apartment cost. Anyone have an update on that?

fayek, Thx for posting the sales news on "forte rebooted" in the first place.
What's more encouraging that "100% spoken for" is the mostly positive comments from fellow downtown Bkln dwellers & those who are still looking in Bkln, even tho they are not Forte buyers.

Asia and Timonstreet// A bike would be a great idea. Anyone know who owns the commercial space or if it is also up for sale? From the amended offering plan it appeared that they were also trying to sell it. Seems like purchasing/leasing a portion of that space would be the only way to make it work.

Asia/Timon, I don't know if you are looking for indoor bike storage specifically, but I think there are bike racks in front of the building (I have seen bikes parked there). If you look at the streetview on google maps, you can see these little black poles that I think are probably for bikes.

To join the Google group you must have already closed on your purchase, and you must include your name and apartment number in your request.

Thanks for the info!

Anyone manage to squeeze a king size bed into a master bedroom of the c line? With side tables? The measurements seem to work, but seems as if it might be a tight fit.

Hi Univeral,
We are in the C line and we have a king size bed and two side tables. These rooms are much bigger than you would think. We were also worried before we moved in but it was shocking how much bigger they look after you have your furniture in.

Did anybody read in the rule book about the units having to have a certain amount of carpeting, etc?
do you we have to oblige by that? Also, how do we decide the new condo board?

80% of the floors need to be covered. This is pretty standard and is meant to help buffer the noise between floors. It only comes into play if your downstairs neighbors complain about noise (clog dancing) from your apartment.

So one more inane question from me. Does anyone know the type of RG cable (Coax in the wall). What is it numbers wise on the cable? It will disclose the shielding type. I want to figure out what ends I should buy to put on for the keystone jacks I put in.

Fortetobe - I have no idea if this will be helpful, but I took a high res photo of the cables here - http://www.flickr.com/photos/santhonys/4264470976/sizes/l/in/set-72157623059745833/

Actually, blown up, it looks to be A6TS, so tri-shield. Thanks.

Is anyone actually dealing with Scott Sullivan of Wells Fargo? The mortgage continency rider requires a pre-approval from him, but he won't do the pre-approval unless I pay him a $500 fee. He said that the pre-qualification letter he issued should satisfy the requirements of the mortgage contingency. Has anyone found that to be true? I'm totally turned off. BofA and HSBC both were willing to do a pre-approval for free.

We did the mortgage with him, at that time the Forte only accepted a pre qualification letter from him (don't know if that changed now that they are FSH approved), but that was enough. I believe you can do the pre approval and rest of the process with other banks now.

We just closed today! It almost didn't happen because of the requirement for funds to be wired transfer and my lender just closed the
file last night - for a morning closing. It was nerve wrecking but glad to say everything went fine! Felisis - we pre-qualified through Scott but then went to our own broker and we had a mortgage contingency put into our contract. Hope that helps!

sorry my last msg was meant for apt hunter

Asia,

How long was it after you signed the contract that you closed? How well was your punch list dealt with?

Its actually amazing how things worked out for us. Our offer was accepted Dec 11 th - we found a mortgage broker/lawyer, had attorney review/signed contract on Dec 21st and sent all docs to our mtg broker prior to leaving the country for 3 weeks. We were scheduled to close the 17th of March but our rate lock expired Feb 8th and wanted to schedule earlier so we pushed for it and was able to close today the 5th.

oh and as far as the punch list - that also worked out well. We decided our closing Jan 27th so only had the week to get punch list done. Craig Murphy was very accommodating and let us do our an initial walk through/inspection the 29th - we had a few items (paint chips, floor mark, panel in bathroom not attached, nothing major. Almir the super said they will get done quickly even though they have 60 days. Did our final walk through yesterday and everything was complete! We had some dents on our dishwasher and they replaced it with a new one. Outside of not getting the mortgage file to the bank attorney until this morning for closing - the rest of our experience has been really smooth.