*They finished the building, it's beautiful, but it's full of echoing absences, so unlike most
squelettes, it's not Favela Chic, it's Gothic High Tech.
*Once the squatters figure out how to take it over, THEN it's Favela Chic.
http://www.thestar.com/article/675303
(...)
"The future was going to be southwest Florida," said Victor Vangelakos, 45, who paid $430,000 for the unit, took out a $336,000 mortgage and planned to retire to the condo.
Most buyers in the 200-unit building didn't close and others moved to an adjacent building owned by the same company.
Their mortgage lender won't let the Vangelakos do the same, leaving them the sole tenants of Oasis Tower I.
"It's a beautiful building," said their attorney John Ewing, who represents 27 others. "The problem is it's a very lonely building."
When the Vangelakos visit from Weehawken, N.J., they have exclusive use of the pool, gym and game room but no neighbours.
"Being from the city, it's very eerie," Vangelakos said. "It's almost like a scary movie." (((Specifically, a scary Gothic movie.)))
An outside fountain is dry. The doors to the front lobby are locked. On the front desk is a guest sign-in sheet. The last entry: Feb. 13, 2009.
"It's like time froze here six months ago," Ewing said. (((Gothic and even a nice hint of atemporality there.)))
The Vangelakos closed in the fall. At Christmas, they didn't think much of the emptiness. Later, the building grew more deserted.
The lights went off on the pool and parking garage. The garbage chute was sealed, replaced by a trash bin.
Security concerns arose. Late one night, someone pounded on their door. Police found no intruders, just an open pool entrance. (...)
