Even as strategic property owners become increasingly bold with counteroffers, Baltimore County officials said they hope to acquire all the units in Dundalk?s crime-ridden Yorkway apartment complex and begin demolition within two months.
Stubborn landlords have driven cost estimates for total acquisition from an original $11 million to $17.2 million, county spokesman Don Mohler said Monday. The County Council will discuss the most recent purchase agreements for two apartment buildings at its work session today, leaving 12 of 56 to be negotiated, he said. Officials said they expect to recover the added costs when the land is sold.
“It?s worth it,” said Council Chairman John Olszewski, D-District 7. “If, down the road, there is any development on that property, we?ll get the money back through tax base. It?s a great investment.”
County officials announced in March a plan to purchase all 56 blighted apartment buildings, owned by several landlords, in the 8-acre neighborhood on Yorkway Road. The county spent $7.6 million on the first 20 buildings ? 79 units in a section formally known as the York Park Apartments, where police said they responded to nearly 4,000 calls in 2005.
The county has offered property owners the higher of two appraisals, but now landlords are holding out for higher prices. Most recently, the county offered Brijdeo Shivnarain $481,000 for two buildings. He made a counteroffer of $600,000. The county made a second offer of $550,000.
Shivnarain rejected that and asked for $30,000 more than his original counteroffer.
“At the end, it gets tougher,” Mohler said. “The county?s going to be fair, but at the same time, we have to protect taxpayers. Even if they drive a hard bargain, we try to work it out.”
The county?s Office of Community Conservation is assisting displaced tenants. So far, the county has successfully moved 51 families, Mohler said. Tenants will receive rental assistance for one year and will get vouchers for new units by February.
