Adona Apartments
The Adona Apartments (originally Ski Lodge III Apartments, later Aspen Run Apartments, Highland Bluff Apartments, and The Park at Carlyle Apartments) is a 553-unit apartment complex built in 1983 at 200 Robert Jemison Road in Birmingham's Glen Iris neighborhood. It was the third of the Ski Lodge apartment communities, the first of which was constructed in 1972 in nearby West Homewood.
Miami, Florida-based Fifteen Asset Management sold the three communities in January 2007 to Miles Properties of Atlanta. The new owners announced a $15 million overhaul focussing on roofing repairs, interior finishes, landscaping and amenities, including a wifi enabled coffee bar, a fitness center, new grilling areas and events programming. After the work was complete, rents were raised by $50 or more, with discounts for full-time students. The complex was then given its current name.
In 2009 Wachovia Bank sued Miles Properties for defaulting on a $57 million loan for renovations to multiple properties. The suit claims that Miles withheld payments, wrongly took possession of rents and insurance proceeds, and left property taxes unpaid, subjecting the properties to possible liens or tax sales. The suit further alleges that it believes that the properties may have deteriorated in value for lack of maintenance.
On April 2, 2009, all residents got a letter stating that Miles Properties had sold the property to Julian LeCraw and Company of Atlanta. Residents have been able to renew their leases, however, but the property remained in foreclosure. The complex was the scene of a fatal shooting, apparently retribution for a previous robbery, in December 2009.
In November 2010, Wells Fargo, successor to Wachovia, sold the three complexes to Abbey Residential. Abbey president J. Frank Barefield, Jr and regional manager Jenny Moore immediately began evicting tenants who were behind on rent and enforcing rules against loitering. They worked with Birmingham and Homewood police commanders to increase patrols. Another homicide occurred in January 2016 when a man entered his girlfriend's apartment and fired a shot at another man there before he was stabbed to death.
Contour Development of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan acquired The Park at Carlyle, The Park at Callington, and The Park at Buckingham from a Texas-based company for $93.53 million in 2019. That October another shooting victim was found at the complex.
References
- Kent, Dawn (February 25, 2007) "New face for ex-Ski Lodge." The Birmingham News
- Hubbard, Russell (April 5, 2009) "Homewood's Aspen Run apartments snowed under in debt." The Birmingham News
- Hubbard, Russell (November 21, 2010) "3 apartment complexes sold in one big real estate deal." The Birmingham News
- Robinson, Carol (May 20, 2011) "Jenny Moore taking back Birmingham and Homewood apartments from crime." The Birmingham News
- Van der Bijl, Hanno (May 8, 2019) "Three Birmingham apartment buildings sell for $93.53M." Birmingham Business Journal