MADISON (WKOW) - If you want to know what's bothering Carl Muccio, you have to start here: a two foot curb at the Town Center Condominiums. He says the builder left unfinished business.
"We are supposed to have sidewalks. We are supposed to have curbs -- everything that plan showed -- okayed by the city was supposed to be done and it wasn't," said Muccio.
If you look at the highlighted areas on the original site plans, it called for hundreds of feet of curb. It's meant to prevent erosion and rain washing dirt and debris into the sewer system. The city says the curbs are a must, and is ordering the condo association to get it done. That work, along with other corrections, is going to cost Carl and the other owners about $25,000. Carl says it's not right.
"It's more than the money with me, it's the principle if it," said Muccio. "Why is this being let go? Why do builders get away with it and why don't the City do something about it?"
We brought the question to a City official.
"How come nobody makes sure the builder does everything he says he's going to do?," asked Reporter Sabrina Hall.
"We do but sometimes it's well after the buildings are occupied," said George Hank, the City's director of building inspection.
He says by the time the problem was caught, the builder was no longer the owner. The majority of units were sold and the condo association took over.
"If the builder is not the owner anymore of the property than its hard for the City to hold them responsible?," asked Hall.
"It's impossible," said Hank. "We deal with the owner of the property."
And that includes Carl and his 110 other neighbors. They're picking up the tab and having to pick up where the builder left off.
If you're thinking about buying a condo in a complex that's still under construction, here's what the City says you should do:
1. Ask the builder if it's received final approval from the City on all aspects of the project
2.Make sure the project's completed before your condo association takes ownership
3. Ensure you have a contract with the builder that states all aspects of the plan will get done.
If you have a problem for Call for Action, call 661-2727.
