Waukesha condemned condo owners asking state insurance commissioner for help (WI)

Demolition of the Horizon West Condominium building is ongoing two years after it was evacuated over worries it could collapse because of structural issues.  Even though the building is stripped down to its steel beams, the residents who used to live there are still paying their mortgages.   Read the article…………………………….

Horizon West condo owner overwhelmed following denied insurance claim (WI)

A justice in the 7th circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruled against the residents of the condemned Horizon West Condos in their lawsuit against traveler’s insurance.  This is putting them on the hook for the cost of razing the building, as much as $7 million dollars.     Read the article……………………………..

Horizon West demolition, federal judge rejects condo owners’ appeal (WI)

As Waukesha’s Horizon West building comes down, a federal judge Tuesday rejected an appeal from condominium owners who sued their insurance company to cover demolition costs.  The city told condo owners in December 2021 they had to evacuate the building due to concerns it might collapse. Nearly two years later, demolition began – with an […]

Waukesha Horizon West condo demolition begins, case still in court (WI)

Demolition of Waukesha’s Horizon West Condominium building began Thursday, Nov. 9 – crews removing sections piece by piece because of asbestos.  The city forced everyone out of the building in December 2021 due to fear it might collapse. Residents sued their insurance company to cover demolition costs.    Read the article………………………………

Homeowners association horror story: Residents sue to stop payment demands (WI)

A dispute involving a homeowners association has boiled over into a court battle pitting neighbors against one another, with thousands of dollars at stake.  About a dozen residents of the Crestview Park subdivision have filed suit against William Van Offeren accusing him of fabricating the organization and installing himself as president so he could collect […]

Demolition company lays out plan for condemned Waukesha condo building, as owners continue court battle (WI)

For about a week now, those crews have been removing non-hazardous materials like carpeting and furniture. Then they’ll seal it up and remove hazardous asbestos.  At the same time, the 48 condo owners are battling their insurance company in court, trying to get millions of dollars they say is owed them.    Read the article………………………………..

Residents and business representatives present concerns about short-term rental properties (WI)

Short-term rental properties continue to be a topic of discussion in the City of Lake Geneva.  Several Lake Geneva residents and business representatives expressed their concerns regarding short-term properties and other housing-related issues to city aldermen during the city council’s committee-of-the-whole meeting, Aug. 7.  Emily Hummel, president of the Maple Park Homeowners Association, said she […]

4 hurt in condo complex explosion caught on camera (WI)

An apparent condo complex explosion led to four people being hospitalized, authorities said Tuesday.  The explosion sent debris into the road and the parking lot in the back of the building. Chimneys were also observed to have blown off the condo.   Read the article………………………..

Sides in Horizon case may seek settlement (WI)

An attorney representing the displaced residents of the Horizon West Condominiums said Tuesday he hopes to have discussions with the city to resolve its request for an order to tear down the building.   Read the article………………………..

Horizon West Condo owners express frustration almost one year later (WI)

Almost one year ago the condo owners and residents of Horizon West Condominiums were evacuated from their homes with 15 minutes’ notice Dec. 2 due to risk of imminent collapse. Some have fared all right since, while other owners have struggled immensely. Read the article………………………..

Brookfield cat hoarding, 73 need new homes (WI)

Hoskins said they first started getting calls about the property about a year ago. Neighbors were complaining about the smell from the condo next door.  The Elmbrook Humane Society finally got permission to go inside the home on Aug. 31. The owner surrendered all 57 cats found in the 1,200-square-foot condo. Ammonia levels were so […]

Kitchen fire at Madison condo extinguished by sprinkler (WI)

Officials said the resident was heating vegetable oil when it ignited. The resident instinctively put water on the fire, which only made the flames worse.  The fire triggered an automatic sprinkler which put out the flames before firefighters arrived.   Read the article………………………..

Evacuated Horizon West condo owners to raze building by Sept. 20 (WI)

Nine months after being evacuated from their homes at Horizon West Condo, the condo owners are starting to get back to normal. However, a pending civil lawsuit against the insurance company and looming raze order of the building, 315 N. West Ave., has left the dust unsettled.   Read the article………………………..

How to Deal With an Unresponsive HOA

Dear Monty: We recently purchased a condo in a community with a homeowners association board and bylaws. This property was only a slab when we bought it with a July closing date. The builder did not complete the unit until the middle of October.   Read the Q&A……………………………….

Horizon West condo break-ins; owners, neighbors concerned (WI)

Owners say someone broke in to Waukesha’s condemned Horizon West condominium building – and may even be living there.  “The back door was completely open,” neighbor Dennis Unterbrink said. “Trash. Some cigarette butts and uneaten hamburgers.”    Read the article……………………………

Friendlier HOA attitude needed for solar, wind

The recent dustup between a homeowner in the Madison suburb of Waunakee and her homeowner’s association (HOA) should serve as a reminder to HOAs across the state that they should be taking a more friendly attitude toward solar and wind installations.   Read the entire article……………………………….

Homeowners associations hinder solar deployment, despite Wisconsin law

For as long as she can remember, Sherrie Gruder wanted to put solar panels on her home.  In the fall of 2020, Gruder and her partner, Wayne Harris, finally got the chance.  They’d recently moved to a subdivision near Waunakee, and while there were issues with putting solar panels on the roof, there was plenty […]

Waukesha Horizon West condo lawsuit, $17M sought after collapse threat (WI)

Waukesha Horizon West condo owners who had to be evacuated from their building after a threat of collapse are now suing the building’s insurer.  The 27 homeowners have brought a $17 million lawsuit against Travelers Insurance for failing to pay claims.  Read the entire article……………………………….

Oconomowoc fatal condo fire; woman dead, smoke detectors not working (WI)

Officials say the fire was isolated to a single unit of the condo complex. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. A news release says smoke detectors in the condo were not in working order — and did not alert the residents to the fire.   Read the entire article……………………………….

Horizon West Condo Association to review all options (WI)

The Horizon West Condominium Association met over the weekend and formally voted to review all possible options, including the possibility of repairing the condominium instead of razing it, in order to buy the owners time to plan their next steps.   Read the entire article……………………………….

Horizon West owners denied by insurance, bills piling up (WI)

A home is more than concrete and beams, but the financial hit to Horizon West’s owners is making it hard to settle into new ones. In addition to new rent payments, the Hastreiters are still paying their Horizon West mortgage, among several other things.   Read the entire article……………………………….

Displaced Waukesha Condo Residents To Appeal Demolition Order (WI)

Residents of a deteriorating Waukesha condominium retained a lawyer and are in the process of appealing a raze order.  The city of Waukesha issued a raze order on Horizon West Condominiums, after 65 residents were forced to evacuate the structure in December.    Read the entire article……………………………….

Elm Grove 2-alarm condo fire, partial roof collapse, no injuries (WI)

Firefighters responded to the four-unit condo building on Bluemound Road near Elm Grove Road around 10:30 a.m. for a fire that started on a porch, reported by a resident. Firefighters found heavy smoke and flames coming from the second floor,   Read the entire article……………………………….

Evacuated Horizon West condo resident shares his story (WI)

On Dec. 2, R G (also known as RJ) Esposito was enjoying dinner with his wife after a work trip when a Waukesha County Sheriff’s deputy knocked on his door at the Horizon West Condominiums building.   Read the entire article……………………………….

Fundraiser set up for Horizon West condominium residents (WI)

While Horizon West Condominiums owners face millions of dollars in either demolition of the building or building repairs, with the decision likely to be the former, a GoFundMe has recently been set up to benefit all owners of the 48 condominium units. Horizon West Condominium owners were told to immediately evacuate their homes Dec. 2 […]

For Waukesha’s Horizon West condo, soaring repair estimates suggest little hope in saving the weakened building (WI)

The city has told owners of the structurally compromised Horizon West Condominium that they may have to fix or completely flatten their building.   Which will it be? That’s a question that may have already been answered unofficially, as hope for the 48-unit building on West Avenue diminishes as repair cost estimates rise into many millions.  […]