Residents complain that 4123 and Park West are being left to deteriorate

DAVID TAFFET | Senior Staff Writer
taffet@dallasvoice.com

” I just moved to Dallas in March and chose 4123,” wrote one resident of 4123 Cedar Springs Road, the development formerly known as ilume. “My living here has been the worst living experience of my life. It’s disgusting and unacceptable.”

When Sun Equity Partners purchased the property, they hired Lincoln Property Company to manage it because Sun Equity had no experience running such a large complex. The majority of their other Dallas holdings had six to eight units. Along with 4123, the company purchased a sister property a block away — Park West, formerly known as ilume Park.

There were already maintenance problems at both properties when the new owners came on board, but those were mostly resolved over the next month or two. But for the last three to four months, “it’s gotten bad,” said another 4123 renter (names are being withheld, because those who contacted Dallas Voice fear retaliation from the owners). The list of complaints is long.

“They stopped paying bills from vendors,” one resident said. “So the landscapers walked off. The grass on Cedar Springs at Douglas is getting overgrown.” Another resident called code enforcement, so the property sent a maintenance crew out to mow. That meant things inside wouldn’t get done.

Lights had fallen over exposing wiring. Code enforcement came out again and, with the property owners facing a fine, the problem was fixed the next day.

The property had always had a housekeeper on the premises. But housekeeping staff was let go, so now no one is vacuuming the hallways.

“Debris and pet hair are building up in the halls,” a resident said. “No one’s bothered vacuuming in three to four months. I know one resident had to wait three to four weeks to have his toilet fixed.”

He said that kind of service was after a $250 rent raise last year and another $100 raise this year.

The groundskeeper who used to clean up the dog parks every morning left for a better job. Most residents are good about picking up after their dogs, but no one was there to empty the trash, which has started piling up.

When tenants complained that trash cans were overflowing, property management removed the trash cans rather than the trash as a response.

“Non-working microwaves were not being replaced,” the resident said. “Fencing is not being replaced that’s rusting through.”

Property owners were preparing to start repainting the fences and had scraped the paint off the wood. But, “now it’s just sitting there bare wood,” a resident said.

Of the pole lights around 4123, only one is functioning, making it very dark around Dickason Street and Douglas Avenue. That’s causing security concerns that are compounded by a garage gate that’s been broken for a month.

The garage gates have been hit numerous times, and “It’s usually taken two months to fix,” a resident said.

And for the past two months, there’s been no sign of the security company that used to patrol the property every night, adding to security concerns. There have been car break-ins and cars abandoned.

“Stolen cars are being abandoned in our garage,” a resident said. “One night police were here with a towing company when they were seizing a car that was abandoned here.”

The excuse residents have been given for lack of maintenance on garage gates? “Supply chain issues.”

“The hot tub is not working,” a resident said, “and the pool is turning green from all the rain.”

The bottom surface of the pool is white, so when algae grows, it’s very obvious.

There’s a backlog of maintenance requests.

“Lincoln either doesn’t respond or says the owners won’t give them money to do the needed maintenance,” he said.
The only effective way to get things fixed has been calling code compliance or even the police.

Posted this week in an internal residents Facebook group was information that a homeless man came into the gym and turned out the lights. A woman using the facility called the police. The same guy was seen by residents coming in through the broken dog park exit gate.

So why do residents stay? With a list of complaints this long, any tenant who wanted out could walk away without repercussions.

The answer several residents gave was location and price.

Although rents have increased, rent throughout the area has skyrocketed over the past few years, and, compared to anything within walking distance, 4123 and Park West remain lower in price.

“Anything cheaper, the quality nosedives,” one resident said. “ilume was built for the LGBTQ community, and it’s being allowed to deteriorate.”

The original developer did plan both properties with the LGBTQ community in mind by including dog parks and a gym, for example, and locating it a block from the bars. A viewing terrace on the roof was specifically designed for residents to watch the annual Pride parade back when it was held on Cedar Springs Road.
Residents were told June 28 that Lincoln Properties will be replaced as of July 1, and the rumor among residents is that the properties will be foreclosed on that day as well.