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Former student to face pre-trial Friday Page 3
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Tiffany Bias goes to Phoenix Mercury in WNBA draft. ocolly.com/sports
Tuesday April 15, 2014 www.ocolly.com
25 cents
Management ends some leases early
TYLER DRABEK/O’COLLEGIAN
Magnolia Point apartments, at 645 W. Bennett Drive, were recenlty sold to Progress Builders, forcing tenants to move out of their homes before their leases were expired.
By KAELYNN KNOERNSCHILD, CAELE PEMBERTON
co-writers
While dealing with finals and the end of the semester, residents are scrambling to move out of Magnolia Point and find new places to live. The Magnolia Point apartments, previously owned by Magnolia Point, LLC was sold to Progress Builders, LLC in March. Because of a clause in the leases, residents were given 30 days to move out, which at the time would have required many to move April 30, the Wednesday of dead week. Student-residents asked
for more time. The complex pushed the move-out date to May 15, Progress Stillwater member Michael Allard said. Although several residents have already found places to live, many were angry they would have to move on such short notice. Resident Josh Powell said he felt the decision to sell was a bad one. “It’s bullshit, basically,” he said. Many residents are being evicted three to four months before their leases should have ended, he said. Lisa Nasalroad, the former owner of Magnolia Point, said management gave the residents notice
that the property was going to be sold. The residents were forced to move out so quickly because she wasn’t sure if they were going to close the sale at all, she said. “There were a multitude of issues that had to be worked out in order for them to close,” she said. Even a few hours before the papers were signed, she and the manager were unsure of the sale, Nasalroad said. Once the sale was closed, C-Star Management took over, and they will maintain the property and help residents until they move out. “Our job is just to make sure the property is taken care of until the buildings
are torn down,” said Howard Aufleger, a representative for C-Star. C-Star and Progress Stillwater have joined forces to help the transition go smoothly. “Everybody there was treated with respect and dignity and also has been given whatever assistance can be given by the management company, C-Star,” Allard said. Powell said C-Star has been helpful during the transition. Progress Stillwater will apply for demolition permits once the residents have moved out. “We have a beautiful community that will be built there and that we have
the approvals from the city of Stillwater to build,” he said. Progress Builders is based out of South Carolina but has an office in Oklahoma City. Allard said Progress Builders assigned the property to Progress Stillwater, but the companies are not affiliated. He then said Progress Stillwater and Progress Builders have the same managing partners. The plans for the property have not been finalized, Stillwater development services director Paula Dennison said. The city approved the initial Planned Unit Development, which
shows the city the plans for the property, Dennison said. However, the final PUD has not been approved yet. Under the preliminary PUD, the new buildings will be taller than allowed by the zoning for that area, but the developers have proposed several changes to mitigate the taller buildings, she said. Once the final PUD is approved, the developer will be able to begin construction. The initial plans are for three four-story buildings and a clubhouse, according to a report from the Stillwater planning commission from August 2013. news@ocolly.com
Vehicles seek shelter, leave with tickets Kassie McClung @OCollyFeatures
Dozens of tickets were doled out Sunday afternoon to students parked in the Wentz Lane Garage seeking shelter from inclement weather. “I thought it was hailing, and the car wasn’t mine,” English sophomore Alexandra Marianos said. “I didn’t know how long or how bad it was going to hail. I didn’t
know if parking was free during the weekend or not.” Marianos received a $40 citation for parking in a reserved spot. “I think it was unethical to an extent,” she said. “But it does say it’s closed. At the end of the day there is a rule. Whether it’s fair or not isn’t mine to determine.” Many students left their cars in the garage to escape the hail. Student Union Parking was too full, and students who live in Bennett don’t have the option to buy a permit for a parking garage, Marianos said. The Oklahoma State University Department
of Parking and Transit Services issued 64 tickets in five hours. Fifty-six of the tickets were issued to cars parked in a reserved spot and cost $40. Six were for habitual offender citations or warnings, and two were for expired meters at $10 each, said Steven Spradling, director of the department of parking and transit services. The department wants to do everything it can to help students, but it has to help customers who pay to park in the garage first, Spradling said. See Tickets Page 4
JACKIE DOBSON/O’COLLEGIAN
Students sought shelter in the Wentz parking structure Sunday but were ticketed for doing so.