Alden Park Towers

[SCS_Scooter]

These pics are from a brochure I found in with some of my Grandma's stuff.[[no date on it) She lived in Apt 703C for decades until the Senior Apt Tower was built next door at 7800 E Jeff. My brother and I would fight over who got to push the elevator button and who got to honk the horn in the underground garage. I remember the little shops and grocery store on the main level. Watching the hydroplane races from the roof. Aaahh, loved being a kid! I just adored the little alcove with the bay window. She had a leather topped desk with fab pens and stationary in the drawers in that area. I just thought she was so metroplitan back in the day!!

[stasu1213]

I sure hope that the Alden Park can recover. It was, as Brazzman notes, a really nice full-service building before the Northern Group got their hands on it and sucked the money and life out of it [[as they also did to the Penobscot Bldg., First National Bldg., Cadillac Tower, and Lafayette Towers - Alex Dembitzer & Co. should be prosecuted for the damage they did to our city's landmarks and all the people they stiffed and cheated).

The east side riverfront apartment buildings are one of our most attractive areas, with significant potential for attracting and retaining people, and should be handled as carefully as possible. When times improves they will be in a strong position to prosper and grow, if well maintained and safe, but times are tough all over the area and these buildings are not at all immune to these difficulties.

Unforturnately Dembitzer and Co. still have their hands on the Lafayette Towers. One of the residents had told me that Northern Group had gotten HUD money to renovate Lafayatte Towers but instead used the money to buy another apartment building. I don't know how true that is. I do know that Alden Park was the place to be until the early 2000s when Saperstean had sold it. I had a friend who lived at Alden. I had loved walking down the main corridor which went through all the buildings.

[Labratgee]

Is this property finally under new management, and is any progress being made on the deteriorating condition of the complex?...

This will be long...I have been living in Alden park Towers since 1997. After Saperstien let it go and Northern group came in, things started to look up for a second. From my understanding there where funds received from the historic preservation society [[?) not sure if that's where it came from but windows were replaced, the bricks where honed , the parking lot was painted and spaces where assigned, a electronic gate was put in, and you had the option of customizing your unit before you moved in...then came the butt ugly paint colors [[red and yellow in the main hallway of tower "A", and Yellow walls and black doors on the tower hallway. After that repairs came to a halt. Soon after I learned that the apt mgr,[[Mindy) and his asst mgr [[cannot remember her name) were investigated by the feds for misuse of the funds that should have gone to repairs. Also during that time period there where thefts at remaining businesses that where was found to be an inside job. Security was frustrated when they found out the thefts where linked to relatives of the asst mgr, and all the businesses left. Except for the Dr Lee. His extreme alcoholism [[he was found by DPD wandering down Jefferson and brought back to his office) was the cause of the demise of his business.

Being owned by the bank there was a rapid succession of mgt. companies, and since all the bank wanted to do was sell, they where not really releasing funds for repairs, and allowing just about anyone to move in.

Thankfully the property was purchased and there was an improvement almost over night. First was a 24-hour security team where there is always at least 6 members on staff [[which is needed for a place this large). They have gutted every vacant area and repairs take place 6 days a week since September. I have taken a peek in the upgraded units in the "A" tower which is to be completed by Christmas [[They are amazing by the way). The word on the street is that they plan to go condo, and the upgrades will include and exercise room and dog park. not sure if that's true.....but the change is welcome.