Northoftampa: Workers again busy at Arbors apartments after 2-month delay

Workers again busy at Arbors apartments after 2-month delay

By LOGAN D. MABE

NORTHDALE -- Work is under way again on the Arbors of Carrollwood apartment complex on Ehrlich Road now that the developer has a new construction company under contract.

Winter Park-based Walker & Co. has had workers on the site framing buildings and doing "remedial work" on structures that sat neglected for the past two months.

At first, the 478-unit apartment complex was to be built by Cone Constructors. But when that company ran into business troubles, it stopped work on the project. At the time, company owner Mike Cone had bigger problems with the state Department of Transportation, which canceled its $75-million contract with Cone to build two sections of the Suncoast Parkway.

The DOT said Cone was not paying his subcontractors and suppliers, although his company was being paid for the work done.

Cone was fired from the road building job, and had already lost its deal with ZOM Development Inc., the Orlando company that is behind the Arbors project.

Zom, too, has had trouble with the Arbors. The company was cited by the county's Environmental Protection Commission for not installing sufficient erosion controls around the job site.

During the winter, rain washed enough dirt off the property to damage several small lakes in the Carrollwood Springs subdivision. Cone and ZOM were fined for the infractions in February.

Greg West, ZOM's development manager, has not returned calls from the Times since the environmental infractions were reported.

Silt fences now surround the project and other erosion controls have been put in place, but the damage to the lakes in Carrollwood Springs is done.

"They're dead," said homeowners association president Bill Fiedler. "One pond near Ehrlich used to be teeming with fish. But all the dirt was washing into the storm drains and washing into that pond. They put a bale of pine straw in front of the drain, but it didn't do a thing. They did put up the erosion fences, but that's like closing the barn door after the horse has already gotten out."

Robert Dineen, project manager with Walker & Co. Construction said his company is picking up where Cone left off. "It's going to start cranking up here pretty quick," Dineen said. "There will be some townhome models available by fall."

When finished, the Arbors of Carrollwood will be much like the other "upscale" complexes popping up across north Tampa. Dineen said the plan calls for a gated community with fountains, arbors and brick pavers in some roadways.

-- To reach Logan D. Mabe, call 226-3464 or e-mail him at mabe@sptimes.com.