The Athena’s Management Company Terminates 28-Year Contract With Building

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  • Property management company Intercity Investments tendered its resignation at the Athena.
  • The firm gave the HOA only 30 days notice, due to a high level of harassment from residents.

“Our firm is no longer willing to subject our staff to behaviors which could be described as designed to harass and intimidate others into compliance with certain individual’s special interests.” This news has the entire building in a tither. What this means is that effective October 16, the Athena will have zero maintenance. 

The whole letter — and more — after the jump:

The Athena’s board, along with that of Preston Tower’s, pushed hard against city-recommended redevelopment behind the Pink Wall in PD-15.

Athena property owners tell me Steve Wolens, a unit owner and also the husband of former Dallas Mayor Laura Miller, has been involved in some communication, indicating he may reach out to former state senator John Carona for help. Carona owns two large property management companies: Principle Management Group of North Texas and Somerset Association Management .

They also say some residents stirred trouble with a few ICI employees, who quit.

A property management industry source tells me that while it’s not that unusual for a management company to terminate even a long-term contract, 30 days is pretty short notice and may indicate a high level of frustration.

“ICI manages very few high rises,” he told me, asking to remain anonymous because of his high profile within the industry. “My guess is ICI probably decided life is too short for conflict.”

What are the Athena’s options? Beg Intercity to stay on another 30 days, hurry to find a new management company or self-manage by self-contracting. It’s doubtful HOA dues would change, but it’s possible.

Word is the board is now talking to Worth Ross and Associates for a bid.

Candy Evans, founder and publisher of CandysDirt.com, is one of the nation’s leading real estate reporters.

10 Comments

  1. Fire Survivor on September 19, 2019 at 11:52 am

    What goes around comes around for the self-righteous owners at the Athena. Their bulling tactics towards their 30 year management company ICI and the Dallas City Council regarding PD 15 has come back to bite them. Who would want to work with these owners? No surprise to me. Isn’t Karma Great!

  2. Julie Lloyd on September 19, 2019 at 12:54 pm

    It should be said that they rendered resignation because of 4 or 5 people harassing them. It was a total shock the rest of the residents in the building. What a shame that they should end a long-standing (28 years I believe) relationship with the building for those few people. 30 days sticks it to the few people that caused problems, but it also puts every other resident in the building in the same position. Shame on the few residents who behaved badly and she on ICI.

    • Fire Survivor on September 19, 2019 at 1:34 pm

      Those 4 to 5 owners have caused havoc all over PD15 for over 2 1/2 years. Now you feel their vicious bite inflicted on their own fellow Athena owners. Their poisonous venom finally hits home and it hurts, doesn’t it? Your true colors have been exposed to everyone.

      Athena, tend to your own self inflected issues and leave the rest of us alone. You’ve got some serious internal problems to deal with.

  3. Kirk Sanders on September 19, 2019 at 2:15 pm

    Avoid Principal (Associa) at all cost. I’m on the board of my HOA and I can tell you first hand that they are terrible. We fired them after years of declining service that culminated in failing to initiate our tax filing which resulted in penalties.

  4. Patrick Sinnott on September 19, 2019 at 8:19 pm

    My comment is the same one that an Athena board member made to a former neighbor who lost everything in the fire, “it’s God’s will”.

    Yes, it’s God’s will that high rise apartments are your new neighbors.

    It’s God’s will a reputable company can’t work for your current board.

    It’s God’s will your reputation is heading heading down the drain, soon to be followed by your property values.

  5. HERBERT L (Bert) BROWN JR on September 20, 2019 at 3:52 pm

    There is no question that The Athena is an outstanding place to live and call home. We are very fortunate to have residents who voice their concerns and are committed to maintaining our home for what is best for all the co-owners, not just a few. Our HOA Board of Directors have and will continue to keep outstanding management to insure what is best for all the co-owners. The Board and Management are dedicated to ¬insure that our property investment is secure and prepared for any incident. Criticism from those who don’t live in this building is NOT well taken but keep in mind The Towers are doing what they believe is best for our community.

  6. Dr. Timothy B. Jones on September 22, 2019 at 8:14 am

    ICI has been losing their client base for years. Their reputation isn’t close to what it once was. I fired them over a decade ago when I was President of the Wyndemere for some very questionable actions. They once dominated Turtle Creek condo management and now have just a few buildings in all of Dallas. The Athena has better choices for management today.

    As for the PD-15 issue, the Athena will come to regret, and probably already do, not negotiating their concerns in good faith. In the end, none of their concerns were really respected in the revised plan. They never had any intention on working to find solutions and so in the end the Athena Board brought harm to their homeowners and themselves.

  7. Art Simmons on September 22, 2019 at 8:13 pm

    Nice reporting about some repugnant people who live in another century. They are abhorringly rude and pathetic and deserve this parting.

    • Fire Survivor on September 23, 2019 at 1:01 pm

      Your are spot on Art!

  8. Kid Dynamite on November 6, 2023 at 2:27 pm

    Are you mad, Bro?

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