When the former Landmark Apartments in Cherry Hill sold 2 years ago, the new owners changed the name to the Grand Apartment Homes and embarked on a $27-million renovation, but when contractors weren't paid, the project stopped months ago, leaving unfinished work on every floor and even inside units.
"They have been taken from what we thought were buildings that needed some infrastructure repair and some painting to a point of destruction," the President of the Tenants Association Rae Haltzman said.
Tenants pay between $900 and $2200 dollars a month to live here. There are over 530 units in the two buildings, but less than 50% are occupied. Those that are, are home to mostly seniors, like 81-year-old Robert Rothman, who's lived here for over 20 years.
"In my later years now, I'd never dream I'd be going through something like this because this is the time you really want to enjoy life," Rothman said.
Tenants say, at times last summer, they were without air condition, and over the winter, some were without heat. One of the owners is Hirschfeld Homes out of New York; an official from the company was on site when Action News cameras were rolling, but did not want to talk.
The owners defaulted on their loans, the lenders filed for foreclosure and the mess left tenants in the middle.
"I personally feel what they did was too many things at one time," resident Fay Davids said.
The Tenants Association is hoping that a court appointed receiver will collect the rents and devise a plan aimed at jumpstarting the stalled project.
