A festive evening on 12th

Yesterday evening was the Festive Evening on 12th [pdf] (fine print that’s 12th between Madison and Pike.)

It started off we me getting home and having to ask the black tie, black dress carolers outside our door to move so I could get my bike in.

After changing so I’d fit in with all the dressed up folks in the lounge I went back down and chatted with a ton of folks. The residents chatted about their pet peeves and who could hear what in their unit, we got the scoop on the remaining units, complained that we received the sealing instructions for our counters four months after moving in once our counters are already stained, toured the model unit and opened our present in the lobby (a painting.) The best tidbit from fellow resident Trevor was that our mirrors, front hall lights and cabinet pulls were from Ikea (gasp!).

The event, at Trace at least, featured not just wine and coffee but elves and Santa:

Of course the star of the night was Ted “do you know who I am?” Schroth, Trace developer, who tried to fit in jeans and a blazer but should have been wearing a t-shirt instead of a white button up shirt (though his fake cashmere scarf from New York was a nice touch.) The residents bitched about lack of lighting and noise and he bitched about how expensive everything is. We also learned from him:

• The construction that wakes me up every morning has been in the works for four years and that they really wanted to have the city complete the work a long time ago. Ted’s particularly annoyed they wouldn’t turn the street lights on for the night.
• He’s swamped with Trace and Oddfellows and has no plans to kick out the art groups from Oddfellows but will do some rehabbing of the building.
• The story of the disappearing lobby furniture which can’t be shared online.
• He does not intend to ever lower prices on the remaining unsold units. He’s in it for the long haul.
• He’s holding out for a gym or high end food boutique for the Trace Lofts commercial space. He also won’t subdivide it. It’s going for $40/sq.
• There is a restaurant signed on for Trace North. He says we’ll love it. It’s mid-range and cheaper than La Spiga. Doesn’t sound like a chain restaurant. It will be announced in January.
• Unit 304 rented for $2000/mn, unit 303 rented for $3000/mn (fully furnished)
• “The Death Star” (what Ted calls the scaffolding enveloping Trace North) will be dismantled in February
• The commercial parking spots may not be fully used by the retailers and instead may be managed by a parking lot company providing resident’s guests with parking options.

I also had the opportunity to meet Liz Dunn. I think Ted was annoyed when I told her that she was my favorite developer and that 1310 E Union was my favorite development. The interesting thing about Liz as a developer is that she was one of the first to live in both her buildings. At Microsoft this is called ‘eating your own dogfood.’ It’s something more developers and marketing people should do.

What have other condos done for their residents and neighborhoods for the holidays?