Apartment Look

The plan is to have at least half of the apartment building completed by August 2018 and the entire project completed by January 2019. By Daniel Smithson Staff writer The outer shell of what will be student housing and a retail destination in midtown remains with few workers trying to complete it. Coral Gables- based Roger Development Group executives halted construction at the site of what will be Midtown Apartments, located at 104 NW 17th St ., because of plans to make interior changes. Oscar Roger Jr ., vice president of the development group , said in construction when interior design changes occur, plumbing does as well. So while design changes were being ironed out, construction was slowed to avoid the costs of having people work in the meantime and potentially having to reroute plumbing again if more changes were made. But with those details now set, construction will resume within the next few weeks, Roger said. The plan is to have at least half of the apartment bu...

El Sereno resident Scott Toland is another unhappy customer of L.A.’s new refuse and recycling program. Toland recently learned that the monthly trash bill at the 10- unit condominium complex where he lives could double — at a minimum. And that’s only if his homeowner association cuts back on regular trash pickup . The reason? An assortment of extra fees, all backed by Mayor Eric Garcetti and the City Council as part of RecycLA. Universal Waste Systems , the neighborhood’s designated refuse hauler , sent Toland an estimate indicating the company would charge $43.30 a month to open the gate to the complex, which requires a remote control clicker , for the property’s regular trash. The company added the same $43.30 “access charge” for recycling pickup. And it tacked on $303 in monthly “distance charges,” which compensate a hauler for moving trash bins across the parking lot to the street, where they are emptied. “No other trash company has ever charged us to open the gate or drive ...