-Who did that? -This is the bank-approved
budget for Augusta.
No, it's not.
ALISON: Tonight on "Windy City Rehab"...
There's not many more issues
that you can run into that are worse than
two stop-work notices.
And I know this one's killing you.
Killing both of us.
How much do I spend to protect my everything?
This is the last property that I own with Donovan.
I just can't be excited
because I'm dealing with a nightmare, honestly.
[ Voice breaking ] I'm sorry, guys. I'm freaking out.
I am Alison Victoria.
Chicago is my city.
I was born and raised here,
and now I'm rehabbing houses with my crew.
This is what I love doing to build a house that looks like
it's been in Chicago for a hundred years.
Does it look amazing out there?
-Oh, yeah. -But it is not for the weak.
I'm working on so many projects at the same time.
That's just how this business is.
It's gonna cost us additional $25,000.
Anything at this point is coming out of my pocket.
This is not a test that I will fail.
Bigger risk...
It's in my brain and in my blood to design.
...bigger rewards. -It's perfect.
-This is gorgeous! -Oh, my God.
-Look at this. -It's amazing.
I'm fighting the biggest fight of my life.
I went to make homes beautiful
in the city that I was born and raised in,
and then you get involved with someone very ugly,
it's soul crushing.
For the past year, I have had Christine,
my director of purchasing, doing full audits
on every past project
that Donovan and I worked on together.
With all of the problems and issues that I started to see,
I needed to know where the money was.
And recently it all came to a head.
CHRISTINE: BE Customs is the primary receiver
of the bulk of money from every draw.
BE Customs is Donovan's company.
On the last house, how much did BE Customs get paid?
BE Customs, $180,000.
Half of the budget for one of them
went to Donovan's own company.
Where did the money go?
Show me who you paid. Show me what happened.
You got the money off the top?
That means that's my money, too!
Those are my houses.
ALISON: This is the end with me and Donovan.
He's gone.
By his own right, by his own doing.
I didn't work this hard to get to the top of this mountain
just to die on it.
It's sad.
I am working on selling most of the properties
that I still own with Donovan because they represent
a massive risk.
But I still do have one property
that is just way too far along to stop.
And it's a three flat on Augusta.
This property, the exterior is absolutely stunning.
It's a really great rental area,
so I'm actually very optimistic about it.
It is a great investment. It really is.
It's an income property.
We're in Ukrainian Village,
the number-one hipster neighborhood.
Is this it?
Yep, Augusta.
It's nonstop traffic back and forth.
It's beautiful. It's almost like I would get a better view
from across the street. It's three units right now.
You can clearly tell it's three units.
No exterior would look like that for a single family home.
The plan was to keep Augusta three units
because of the location. There were some positives.
I love this. I love the stained glass.
Looks like it's in really good shape.
Beautiful detail around each window.
I want to see inside. That's the big ticket.
But once you got inside, there were so many negatives.
Definitely didn't look like a body.
So that's good. There's nothing cool about it.
That's cool.
This is very "Wizard of Oz."
Oh, my God. What happened in here?
Somebody definitely didn't care at all about ruining this place.
-Oh, my gosh. -What did they do?
This is a nightmare.
The rest of the units were normal.
Two bedroom, two bath. The only major change
was installing the new stairs on the outside with decks
and taking down the garage for three parking spots.
Oh, my God. That's a nightmare, too.
Okay, well, this is different.
This has a ton of opportunity for us to make some real money.
We ended up buying Augusta for $560,000.
Donovan told me it was going to cost $500,000
to renovate all three units.
And the plan, once we rent all three units,
was to sell the building as a whole
for $1.5 million.
So that brings me to where I am now.
I own this building with this person,
and there still is no communication.
Donovan and Augusta has a 12-month loan,
which means this project needs to be done in 12 months.
The sooner I can get Augusta done,
I'll learn from it and move on from it.
I'm working with my team,
and that's something that I'm really fortunate to have.
I would never have built Augusta
if there wasn't a great opportunity here.
And the reason is, is because I'm going to sell it as a whole.
So renting those units out is very important
and getting those long term leases in place.
This place is going to demand a higher rent.
I expect to get about $2,700 per unit.
Once it hits the market, what can I really get?
And we don't know that yet.
I ended my partnership with Donovan,
but it doesn't mean he's not still completely tied
to every single project.
So Augusta has been a very negative space for me
from the very get go from the budget Donovan put together.
None of it started off easy.
The original renovation cost per Donovan was $500,000.
I am stuck with this budget of his
that was never going to work.
There's a budget. The bank approves the budget.
We go off the budget. You can't change budgets.
I just want everybody to know.
Who did that?
This is the bank-approved budget for Augusta.
No, it's not.
Why does Christine, who's our director of purchasing,
have this in her file?
This is the budget.
Let me go check what I had.
The problem is, is that he changes the budgets
and he doesn't give you the budget.
I remember what I did.
This is the one with the Rear Edition.
It's still the same number at the end.
But you did touch it because my cabinet number's less.
There should be one budget.
If your budget doesn't match your contractor statement,
then we're not on the same page.
Again.
$49,500 is a loss right now
we have to pull out of our asses.
Anything that he didn't account for,
those are real costs.
Mistakes can't happen here.
Front door is mine. That is not Ermin's.
Take it out. Mirrors and glazing.
That is my money. $2,500.
That's not like I'm like choosing really expensive tile.
I'm saving thousands and thousands,
tens of thousands of dollars in the design line items
just to try to lessen the blow.
Rough-in electrical, $23,000.
It's going to be around $33,500.
And you need a dumpster, $9,500.
Well, I mean, that's...
[ Sighs ]
Donovan, if you want to take it
and get the demo done, please do.
I don't want to fight with you. I don't want to argue.
When you're not doing things by the book,
it's going to catch up to you.
Guys, we can't be off.
$49,500 is a loss right now we have to pull out of our asses.
When you're not doing things by the book,
it's going to catch up to you.
Now I have to rethink the entire design
in order to get renters in
and ultimately sell the entire building.
I am going to try to lessen my numbers to put more towards you.
-Okay? -Yeah.
Got it.
You're trying to deal with this while you're trying
to finish these homes.
I have to fight these fights. I have no choice.
I can't just roll over.
And that fight includes building Augusta on my own.
This is the last property that I own with Donovan,
so there is a really crazy emotion that I'm feeling.
This is where I just have to prove
that I have a unique approach to offer the development world
by building new homes that embrace
and appreciate the history in Chicago.
This building was built in 1887, so it is old school.
And now to refresh it with new windows,
keeping the original stained glass headers for each unit.
Beautiful cornice at the top
and all of the lintel details on top of each window.
And then adding lighting to the exterior
I think is very important.
A couple of things, and all of a sudden,
it feels like a new building.
I think that you don't want to change what's not broken.
So the floor plan worked. Keep it the same.
I really wanted something that was going to feel
like you can have, you know, college students in here
or brand new parents in here, and then have fun where you can.
Each family room is going to get this really cool
antique globe light,
and that is going to pop the colors of that existing
stained glass in the front, putting an accent wall
covering, textured wallpaper in wood grain.
It's really going to give it a lot of depth.
And even though I'm doing the same wallpaper style,
I change up the color in each unit.
An accent wall, in my opinion, should never just be paint.
It's too boring. Bring in texture,
bring in color at the same time,
and just bring in something that's going to create depth.
Each kitchen has a full-size island,
big single-basin sink,
gunmetal appliances, and glass front cabinets
that allow you to see that tile backsplash behind them.
Ari's going to do a built in for each unit.
The paint color I'm going to choose
is going to be inspired by the stained glass piece
that I'm putting into some old doors.
And those doors are going to be for the hallway bathrooms.
It's customizing in a rental,
and you typically don't get that.
Renters appreciate the fixtures and finishes
because that's what's going to set me apart
from other buildings.
Even the bathrooms are going to get individual looks
and feels because of the tiles that we're going to choose.
Now we've got three parking spaces out back.
Those are optional. So to have a backyard space
and the parking, so ideal.
You want a place where you can hang out.
There's a lot of opportunity back there.
That's what I really like.
And I want renters to feel like this
is more of that home feel, not just an apartment.
Today is demo day, and I need people that work.
I need artists and artisans and subcontractors
that get things done.
Mano, Johnny, Svetali, come on, guys.
Johnny, help them.
-I want to see this wall down. -Okay.
ALISON: The inside, we're gutting this thing,
we're taking it down.
Ari's coming with me.
I just got to figure out stair-wise what we're doing,
but I definitely want to keep all that.
Yeah, keep these for us.
Love these.
Sometimes with these rental buildings,
the love is in the stairwell,
and that's exactly where it is here.
I mean, look at this. All of this trim.
-Yeah. -It's all yours, buddy.
All right, cool.
-The stairs stay where they are. -They're solid.
Yeah. There's a lot of this wainscot.
It just crackled.
Yeah, it over crackled.
I think this would be great for picture frames.
And, you know, we're constantly framing mirrors and stuff.
I love that idea.
Ari needs to be a very big part of demo
because why should he pay for new material
when we have old material that we can turn new again?
We could use that for everything.
Yeah. It's cool.
What do you think it is?
Old growth pine.
I love that.
Do you think you'll be taking all this stuff with you today?
-Yeah. -These, don't touch.
I won't.
We'll keep all this trim.
Let's just make sure there's no other pieces that you want
or we want to reuse.
I'll find something.
This is cool.
You like this?
Everybody needs a gate. Yeah.
I currently don't need a gate.
Yeah, but I can use it for the farm.
Hold that up.
Whoa! You almost hit yourself!
There. Something old, something new.
Always finding something.
We can say demo started on Monday,
and it'll be done Friday.
I mean, this one's going to be --
I really do feel like this is a four-to-five monther.
Augusta has been a real challenge just because
of the architectural details that needed to be amended
in order to even get that lifted.
Any delay costs money. Period.
Any delay. So obviously, this is going to cost money.
The budget was already tight to begin with,
so I don't know where that's going to leave us.
And I think it was really this domino effect of Donovan.
How do you prove to the building department
that he's not coming near this project?
It's two steps forward, 50 steps back,
and everyone's in the line of fire.
ALISON: It's this domino effect of Donovan.
How do you prove to the building department
that he's not coming near this project?
He's still on the loan,
but he is not the general contractor.
He is not allowed to work on any homes.
So just making sure that the building department
is working directly with the project manager.
And hopefully the sticker does not stay there any longer
because I'm getting sick of it.
My mindset is just survival mode.
One thing that the city of Chicago can't stop
is me designing for Augusta.
So even though that sticker's up,
I am going to start looking for inspiration
and kind of clear my head from all the negativity.
So I am off to find some inspiration.
How much is this?
Al Capone made that.
How much is it?
-$600. -$600?
You got $525 written on here.
I was close.
Can I just have this?
-Are you nuts? -I'm dead serious.
All right. Well, think about it.
Okay, we'll park on thinking about it.
Okay, wrap this up.
I heard that.
Hunting for Augusta, three units, rentals.
The rental unit game is strong.
So how can I set myself apart
when it comes to the design, but still appeal to the masses?
The transoms on all the windows for each level are stained glass
and they're original.
So I'm inspired to try to bring back a little bit of that
stained glass on the interior in a different way.
What's up with this poor thing?
Damage.
Real damaged, huh? Do you know where it's from?
From a cabinet, arts and crafts home,
probably 1920, 1925.
It's so unusual.
This here is mirrored gold sandwich glass.
This gold reflective mirrored glass
is something I haven't seen before.
So the building was built in 1887.
Every unit has a stained glass window,
so I thought old powder room doors that I can retrofit
and put these in as panels.
You know, to have a little history in there.
I need two more 'cause there's three units.
They don't have to look anything like this
because each unit should be very separate.
Mm-hmm.
Like this guy. Look at that.
I mean, this is beautiful.
And then I just need one more.
Ooh, look at this one.
It's a lot of cathedral glass, solid color, right?
I love that.
What are you charging me for all three?
Nice price.
How about...
$950.
I was thinking $750.
Out the door today?
Out the door. Sold.
Okay, done.
$750!
Done.
Ow! [ Chuckles ]
That was all my bones that cracked.
$650.
What?!
Yeah. I'm going to have to go get a splint.
-Sorry. -Eric is a character.
I've known him for a really long time.
Not weird at all.
Eric's a man of many masks and faces.
I mean, he's all over the place.
This is afternoon Eric?
Oh, it smells.
This is afternoon Eric.
We're just connected there.
I get the passion.
I get his love for the history of these awesome pieces.
Oh, oh, oh! I meant to ask you this.
These three light fixtures. Are they original?
Uh-huh. We took them out of a car wash last week.
That way, each unit has the same light fixture,
and then that will kind of illuminate through
to the original stained glass.
Well, it was the Star Car Wash, so...
Oh, I know that one.
This iconic place in Chicago that's being redeveloped.
How much?
From a car wash.
They're from car wash, which really has zero tied to it.
But it's from Chicago.
I think it's everything.
$600 for all three.
-Really? -Yeah.
What about $400?
$500. That's it.
-$500? -Yeah.
Sold. Three windows. Three globe lights.
And that that block for free.
[ Sighs ]
I just hit the jackpot. I need one more thing.
I have two doors in my office
that will work and I don't want to spend any more money
than I have to.
And this door is the right width,
the right height where the stained glass plops in.
And this is perfect.
But we'll make them all try to look the same.
One door. $100. Time to check out.
So it was a good day.
I get the call from Ermin that the permit's in place.
I'm just so excited to start building again.
There are not many more issues that you can run into
that are worse than two stop-work notices.
So Augusta has been a very negative space for me
from the horrible feeling with the stop-work notices
from the city of Chicago.
This has just been a cluster [bleep]
And how much does that cost?
I just have to figure out
how to cut my losses with Donovan Eckhardt.
I ended my partnership with Donovan,
but because I am so entangled with him,
and I called Vince and I said, "can you meet me at my office?
I've got some ideas."
Right now, all I can do is kind of get up and say,
"What can I control?"
And right now, what I can control
is getting myself off of loans with Donovan.
And my next and only option is to try to sell the properties
and just stop the bleeding.
So Damon is the first one. I want to sell it,
and I want to just try to break even.
Damon's pretty much premier property.
VINCE: Yeah, it has retail.
A lot of builders like that mixed use.
It gives a little more diversification
versus all residential.
Yeah, paid $949,000 for Damon almost a year ago.
I'm currently covering all the interest carry.
Yesterday, I wrote a check for $29,000
on a property that I know that I need to sell
and that I won't get that money back on.
This hurts. This is something that's cutting deep.
I cannot keep writing checks every month
to cover the interest on a home
that won't end up making a profit.
I can't afford to lose money.
ALISON: Yesterday, I wrote a check for $29,000
on a property that I know that I need to sell
and that I won't get that money back on.
This hurts. This is something that's cutting deep.
I cannot keep writing checks every month
to cover the interest on a home
that won't end up making a profit.
I can't afford to lose money.
I really want this to be structured and safe.
If we go back in the market,
it's going to be all over the press.
But what we're going to get is vultures.
We're going to a lot of obnoxious people,
a lot of people are going to just look
to pick off the carcass.
But I have to protect myself.
I need to get off the loan with Donovan,
getting away from that.
-That's the whole thing here. -Correct.
Gets me one step further from having any association
to him or any of that.
You're getting there.
I'm getting there one house at a time.
Baby steps.
Yeah.
I really want to up the ante here.
And I want to say, do you want to buy it
for what I bought it for? That house has been demo'd,
excavation started, full blueprints, full permits.
Oh, permits drawn?
-Permits are pulled. -Oh, great.
Yeah, that's a lot of work.
That's a lot of work.
Definitely is more desirable.
So if we can get someone to agree
to pay what you paid, then they're going to feel like
they're getting a deal, They're like, "Only I'm seeing it,"
and that could help us in the long run.
Vince has this idea -- Go to one person that we think
would want it, and if they're not interested,
you go to the next
versus the conventional listing the property.
I don't need anymore drama outside
of what's already kind of gone down.
Give me everything, and I'll get to work.
Okay.
I completely believe in Alison,
and she just got caught up in a tough situation here.
She will be okay.
ALISON: At this point, I've probably spent
close to $700,000 of my own money.
This is the way out. Sell them, cut my losses.
At least we're not losing what we could if these banks
happen to call the loans, and if a bank calls a loan,
then they take it all. You lose everything.
So to sell it is just to sell it.
That's it. Everything else is a loss.
Augusta is not on schedule.
When you get one stop-work notice on a house,
that's one thing.
You know, that's a big punch to the gut.
When you get another one on the same house,
after that, something's going on,
something I don't like.
There was so much pushback from the city.
It was brutal.
I have approximately half-a-million dollars
out on these jobs that I may never see again,
I may never get back.
And that is devastating.
While I wait for the stop-work order to get lifted,
there's really nothing left for me to do
but make sure that everything is ordered and ready to go.
That way, when we're back to building,
we don't lose any more time.
Augusta doesn't have a lot of love that was left.
The love is on the outside
and I'm not going to touch the outside.
I think it's beautiful. So I want to make sure
that I'm making them feel the inside
really does tie in with the outside.
I have the prettiest -- Well, they're all pretty.
This one's nice.
Each of these jumped out at me,
and I thought, okay, Augusta,
each unit has stained glass on the top of their windows.
-Yeah. -So I thought,
how about I bring some stained glass back in,
but in a cooler way?
So I found these, and then I found these doors.
These are going to be a powder room doors.
Okay.
These are going to be inserted.
However you do that is up to you.
See how this looks.
It should go up there.
Yeah.
You can fill this in?
-Yeah. -Oh, I love that.
-I got a great idea. -Okay, what?
Here. Let me draw it for you.
Okay.
This is our door. Right?
It's got a bottom panel,
and we're going to put this in here like this.
Why don't we do something cool like this?
Oh, like a drop down ledge?
Yeah, something architectural.
-Yeah. -Yeah.
I'll do some kind of trim detail.
I love that.
Yeah.
And give each one a different detail.
Okay, yeah.
This one will go on this door.
Which actually I love.
And then I don't care. B, C.
That way you get the privacy on the outside,
but you get the glowing light from the inside
even if nobody's in the powder room.
I think it's such a beautiful art piece.
I'm going to bring all three of these to Fredrick.
He can pop this thing out of the frame
and then fix anything he needs.
This will be out of the frame, too.
-Okay. -Each one of them.
Okay?
Yeah, that's easier for me to work on.
Yeah.
I'll just trace it right now to start work on that.
-Done. -Yeah.
ALISON: Donovan and I are completely done,
the only way we communicate now is through our lawyers.
I just filed my first lawsuit.
I'm paying the office mortgage.
I'm paying interest carry on two loans.
I have people trying to sue me
for the construction of the home, which I don't do.
Dealing with that while you're trying to separate from a man
who doesn't care, is gone, this is really just bad.
[ Sniffles ]
It's a bad place to be.
I'm dealing with this stuff,
but I got to just keep moving forward.
All right. Come in and set it over there.
Any bright spots in this Augusta project means so much to me.
And I feel like these stained glass doors
are just bright enough.
I'm meeting with Fredrick to fix up some of my glass windows,
that I'm going to turn into doors for my Augusta property.
I have a three flat. The only history
it has on the outside is stained glass windows
as kind of a window header for each floor,
and they're beautiful and intact.
So I thought, what if I can repeat that inside?
So each unit's going to get this insert
into the powder room door.
-Okay. -I'm bringing it to the doctor.
It's going to come out of this frame
because as we know, this frame isn't good for anything.
-No. -Now, the perimeter
that's around this window is lead.
As you can see, it's very malleable.
-Yeah. -That's going. It's gone.
When I'm going to do is replace it with this metal here.
It's zinc. And then after all the repairs are done,
it'll be a solid window.
Got it.
This window here is a lead and zinc combination.
Oh.
In order to get that detail going around there,
they did use a lead channel
because of the lead being more malleable.
So this thing is as strong as all get out,
just like this one here.
Okay.
These pieces are possibly over a hundred years old.
So to be able to restore them
and to use them in another Chicago property
is paying homage to the person who worked on this piece
a-hundred-plus years ago.
I do love the frame.
I love the colorway.
I love the use of that metallic glass
against some of these matted down.
And then this is painted, I assume?
Somebody just painted?
I have no clue why.
And remember, they're powder room doors,
so we need that privacy.
Can you replace anything that is too transparent?
Here. I got an idea.
Can you see me now?
I can see no -- not that bad.
But right here concerns me.
These two.
Let's pick something that that goes with it
that's going to really be more private.
Mm-hmm.
That one, I'm I'm fine with.
Other than a slight shadow, this is definitely privacy glass.
I like that. That is privacy.
And like you said about this,
this is the most structurally sound.
The only thing it does have,
this channel right here.
You said this was the outside.
This is the outside.
It just falls apart.
It totally just deteriorated.
Here, we got a little bit of that going over here.
But structurally, it's a good window.
For me and Fredrick and Ari, to be able to bring it back
in a whole new way is something that I would be so proud of.
[ Cellphone vibrating ]
Yeah, um, it's worth the effort but I feel like...
-I'm sorry. -No, it's okay.
[ Sighs ]
If you only knew what comes into my phone.
I have people coming out of the woodwork,
I have old homeowners that are being contacted by the press,
and all I ever did and all I've ever done is design.
[ Scoffs ] Honestly.
[ Voice breaking ] I'm sorry, guys. I'm freaking out.
[ Door opens, closes ]
This is the exciting part of my process and design.
I just can't be excited
because I'm just dealing with a nightmare.
[ Sniffles ]
I have old homeowners
that are being contacted by the press,
and all I ever did and all I've ever done is design.
[ Scoffs ] Honestly.
[ Voice breaking ] Sorry.
I don't mean to put that on you guys.
[ Door opens, closes ]
[ Sniffling ]
Okay.
MAN: What's up, Alison?
I'm just I'm getting texts just nonstop.
All these homebuyers are claiming construction problems.
Donovan was supposed to be in charge of the construction,
I'm the designer, and yet when the time comes
to write checks, everybody looks to me
because he won't return anyone's phone calls.
People know that I'm the only one writing the checks.
So they're all coming to me.
They're all coming out of the woodwork.
And I'm not even the contractor. Like, I'm not the builder.
I didn't pull permits. I don't do that work.
And now I'm dealing with structural things
that are falling apart for all of these homeowners
that live in homes that I designed.
And it doesn't matter if I just designed them.
They're holding me accountable, too.
And I have to hold myself accountable.
I'm 50-percent owner on the LLC
because I got into business
with a person who cost me everything.
Fredrick, I'm sorry about that.
[ Chuckles ]
When you have a seven-month delay,
you just got to keep going.
To know that a stop-work order has been lifted,
it's a feeling of relief that no one will ever understand.
There was a lot of change when it came to what was needed
to lift those stop-work notices. You have to change the plans,
and then those plans have to go back in for review
and then they have to get approved.
And then you have to get the permit issued again,
and then you can start working, and you pay a fine.
Now it's just about making it right.
It's just about proving myself to not just
the City of Chicago Building Department --
to the city of Chicago.
The silver lining is that Augusta is back up and running
after a really, really long battle with the city.
And today, I'm just going to go meet Ermin
to see where we are with the build.
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Watch your step. Look at this.
It smells like work, which is good.
The second stop-work notice has been lifted.
-Yeah. -And to see progress
means more than anything.
And I know this one's killing you.
It's killing both of us.
Yeah. Lost seven months.
-Yep. -The stars were not aligned
with this project.
Everything that could make
a project fail happened on Augusta.
Talk to me about where things are.
After the second stop-work order,
we had to infill all the cavities
where used to be existing joists.
So you're talking about these fills right here?
Yes. After that infills, we got to do the ledger,
double ledger where we can lay the trusses
that we'll be supporting the floor.
Okay, got it.
We had the inspectors here a couple of days ago.
They are happy.
I need them to be happy.
You're my team. You're my family.
You have stood by me this whole time.
I'm okay to be here.
Well, I trust you so. And I love you.
You know it.
After the stop-work notice was lifted,
It's all about just getting a new schedule done.
You're starting over. But we also have our hands tied.
You know, it comes to inspections.
You may be waiting another month,
but for now, we are building.
The challenge with Augusta is that
it's on a very busy street.
We do not have street access, so it's all about ripping down
that garage, entering through the back.
It's challenging, but it's also a bonus
because we don't have to rebuild that back garage.
With that gone, the framing materials are delivered.
And finally, we can get this house framed.
I'm finally digging out of this,
and it's like it's moving, but it's just -- it's not easy.
I have no money.
I have no energy left to keep this fight going.
I'm hitting the end.
So for me, it's all about staying focused, staying strong.
I have to make sure that this gets built
to make everyone whole again.
I have to get this on the market,
and I know that I will get through this.
I'm finally digging out of this and it's moving,
but it's just -- it's not easy.
I have no money.
I have no energy left to keep this fight going.
I'm hitting the end.
I have to get this on the market.
With Augusta finally moving again,
I'm dying to get my designs going in each of these units.
So today I'm going to my go-to cabinet guys.
Alison. Hi.
How you doing?
I'm meeting with Chad to go over the plans for Augusta.
I just want to make sure that I'm giving each unit
that special love and attention without breaking the bank.
So this is Augusta. It's a three-unit.
Right.
So I want it to look like the brand
that I bring to a single-family.
But obviously, these are rentals.
Cost-effective.
Cost-effective.
Whatever you think is gonna be durable.
-Let's find the wood tone first. -Okay.
Durability-wise, take a look at this one.
Oh, I love this.
Nice wood grain.
Very durable, textured melamine.
They're mimicking real wood.
Well, an exotic wood like this would cost me a fortune.
-It would. -So this is it.
ALISON: Base, fridge.
And then I think the whole island in this.
The glass cabinetry, just simple Shaker.
I think I want to go black.
Ooh. Here is a Shaker door painted black.
Simple Shaker.
This will be glass.
Same design, all three units.
We can handle it.
Done.
-Okay. Good to see you. -Good to see you.
There are so many ways to do it
where you can make these units look like a million bucks
and not spend that kind of money.
There's lots going on at Augusta.
In the existing house,
the plumbing and electrical are already getting roughed in.
The only way you can do a build like this
is by keeping the layouts all the same.
That way, all the plumbing's lined up,
all the electrical, all the mechanical.
Everything is like a carbon copy of each other.
In the back, Ermin's guys are getting ready
to start the addition.
Things are moving really fast at Augusta now.
In the back, the concrete trucks are cranking on the addition.
And after seven months of no work at all,
we are in catch-up mode on this one.
No one sitting still.
Drywall's not far off,
so I need to make sure that all my design elements
are finalized and ready to go.
Hello.
Today I'm at my office,
and I've had Eric pull the tile selections for Augusta.
So he's gonna show those to me.
Because I did spend a little more money on the cabinets,
I need to kind of chip away a little bit at the tile.
So these are all under budget, right?
-Yep. -Awesome.
I feel like we should tie the bathrooms with the tile.
So show me what you were thinking.
We have this one in the upstairs unit.
-Has a blusher. -This has the mauves. Yep.
But then we go with the classic subway tile brick set. Yes.
Price point's probably awesome.
Exactly.
Then we have the darker one in the middle unit.
Love the denim.
Yeah.
So you got dark blue and then cool pattern on the floor.
Love, and this is gonna be, what, straight set or brick?
Brick set.
Brick set.
Floor, which I like.
Gives it a little bit of a throwback.
-One master, second master. -Master, master.
-Master. -You know I love this one,
which is like a split-face, like, marble.
Kristy and I used it on a project.
And it was like $50 a square foot.
Here we're at $2.50.
$2.50 a square foot.
It's a luxury rental so it's high on tile,
but they're different in each one.
So we don't want to do the same thing in every single bathroom.
The kitchens are where I want to stand out.
This one, which I love, this iridescent,
it's almost like pearl.
And they're cool 'cause each tile isn't 100% the same.
So you'll get the tonal variation in them.
It looks like a natural stone.
The kitchens are the same layout,
the same cabinetry, and the same countertops.
So the backsplash is really the opportunity
to bring in color, texture.
And then we can change it up with the brick set,
straight set, and then a square.
Yeah.
Because all of these look so good with this cabinet.
And all these kitchens, whatever backsplash we do,
that's gonna run behind it up and around the hood.
And that way it's like --
That's awesome.
Just, like, almost like an art wall.
Yeah.
And what's cool is if you put hot-pink dinnerware,
it'll look completely different if you put white dinnerware.
So it's for someone to kind of make their own look.
Either way, we are under budget,
and under budget is where we need to be.
I'm really happy with the way
that we are spending money on this project,
but it doesn't take away from the fact
that it is way over the number
Donovan budgeted in the beginning.
How do you make it right?
The rear addition is finally up.
Framing on two of the units was done,
mechanical, electrical, and plumbing rough in,
and there's just one more unit to do.
The next thing that happens is we can start doing drywall,
and that's when things really start going,
you know, the whole thing.
And so it's like we're just two steps away.
The roof is coming off tomorrow.
It's moving as fast as it possibly can,
given the circumstances.
If you told me five years ago
I was gonna have a team of lawyers
and that every penny I made was gonna go to them
to just defend my life, just defend myself.
Sitting with my lawyer, Dan Lynch,
and trying to understand, "What's my next --
What do I do now?"
There's too many questions of why and where.
Where did the money go?
How do I find out where it went? This is my name.
It's my reputation, my character being judged.
I'm gonna keep fighting the fight,
and what I want to keep doing
is making everything around me beautiful.
You're just gonna do a fill here.
Yeah.
Just a little step-down.
This stained glass was always meant to be in this door.
I know it's gonna break your heart,
but I am going to paint the one that was gonna get stained.
Aw!
Augusta has been bringing me so much bad energy.
You're just waiting for the next disaster.
There may be nothing at the end,
but this isn't just about the money.
This is like I'm fighting for my life every day.
ALISON: Where's the money?
Where did it go?
How do I find out where it went?
This is my name. It's my reputation.
This is my character being judged.
What does it cost?
How much do I spend to protect my -- my everything?
Just to be with Dan
and for him to just be straightforward with me,
like, "Hey, in other cases that I've done,
it could cost you a lot of money to go try to find money
that's probably not even there."
There may be nothing at the end.
But this isn't just about the money.
This is about my business. This is about my brand.
And it is expensive.
And it's -- In my mind, it's worth it,
because I will fight to clear my name and reputation
that I've worked so hard for.
I have to get back to Augusta and just clear my head
of all these legal issues.
I got to keep going. I got no choice.
This project has to move.
It's just such a relief, really, to see tile going up.
It looks gorgeous.
You don't have to do every single bathroom the same tile.
Be creative the way that you run the tile
and where you stop the tile.
So all the bathrooms, the tile goes all the way to the ceiling,
and that really gives it a more custom look.
A bright spot with the Augusta project
are these beautiful stained-glass powder-room doors.
So I am off on a road trip.
Today, I'm at Ari's farm/house/workshop.
Welcome.
He moved out to Wisconsin
and has the coolest property.
Augusta is three separate apartments,
and each one has this nook that we added in the kitchen.
I wanted something special,
and he's the one to make that come to life.
Okay, so is this part of it?
Yeah, that's one of the base units.
Okay, scale-wise, though, that gives me a good idea.
-I mean, it's pretty wide. -Yeah.
This really is that accent-wall-type thing.
Yeah, it's more like a display piece.
There'll be different colors, different --
It's all reclaimed wood,
so I think you want to see a little bit of the grain.
Then on the other two, we can make them out of veneers and plywood.
Super inexpensive and just simple.
Yeah.
One unit's gonna be made out of reclaimed wood,
so we're gonna stain that.
And then the other two, we're gonna paint them.
And I'm gonna take a color
that I love most in each stained-glass door,
and I'm gonna pull that into the unit.
Why don't we take this downstairs,
and we can start working on this, then?
Yeah, 'cause you have the template for this, right?
Yeah.
You take that end.
There are three units. There are three doors.
Each one is getting a different piece of stained glass.
Now, that stained glass isn't necessarily
perfectly fit for each door,
so we have to figure out how to retrofit them.
Alright, so you said simple trim.
We have to raise this panel up to here.
Well, here's the thing. Where's the template?
29 3/8 high.
-Center it. -Center it.
And then what we can do is,
we can fill the top and the bottom
with a little trim detail, okay?
So if we go around the sides,
then we can beef up trim down here.
I don't want it to be too top-heavy.
I don't want it to seem too ornate,
'cause I want the window to actually stand out.
This is kind of what I'm thinking.
Yeah, just drop it down a little bit.
-Mm-hmm. -Okay. I like that.
But see, this is at least symmetrical.
So you got this the same, this the same.
Let's go take a walk to the barn and grab some trim. Okay.
Is this your wood hoarding?
Yes.
ARI: Stuff like this is kind of cool.
Oh, this is exactly what --
Yeah, like something like that.
Like for a top piece.
Like that.
It's not too much detail.
Yeah.
Really simple.
This is a cap. I can use that.
That's kind of cool.
Yeah, that's pretty.
'Cause you said we're gonna layer them, right?
Yeah.
Let's just start with these pieces
and see how it works.
Alright, ready?
Yeah.
I'll make a wood template of the stained glass,
and we can kind of play around that.
Yeah.
ALISON: This might be the most complicated one
because it's wider than what the actual inset is for the door,
which means now we've got to widen this up,
which is where this trim comes in.
And we're gonna go ahead and frame around here.
Love this idea.
I can picture that stained glass in there,
and now it's just a matter of piecing it together.
You're just gonna do a fill here.
Yeah.
Knob goes here.
And then should have something like right here.
Just a little step-down.
I'm really happy with it.
I think it's truly gonna feel like this stained glass
was always meant to be in this door.
Ari's gonna finish the doors and then bring them back to Chicago
when they're ready to install.
Back at Augusta. the flooring is going down.
We're gonna do a floating floor
that's installed over soundproof underlayment
because it's a multi-condo unit.
This engineered floor that we use here,
it's way faster installation, no nail gun.
It's just a snap-in, and it goes fast.
ALISON: Next, cabinets got dropped.
The last time I used this veneer,
I coupled it with a high-gloss white cabinet,
and this time I wanted to do it with a black cabinet.
I know a lot of people might think, "Oh, it's a small space.
Why would you go with such a dark color?"
Well, if you do it the right way, it won't feel heavy.
These rentals have to be right up there.
Two-bedroom, two-bath.
Hopefully we can get $3,000 a month,
maybe a little more if they're fully furnished.
But that's the big question.
Have I done enough to make these units
really stand out in the luxury rental market?
I'm putting all my money on the line.
I need to be able to rent these apartments for top dollar
so I can pay off some of the money
that I've spent out of my own pocket
just cleaning up this whole mess.
These rentals have to be right up there.
Two-bedroom, two-bath.
Hopefully we can get $3,000 a month,
maybe a little more if they're fully furnished.
I'm putting all my money on the line.
I need to be able to rent these apartments for top dollar
so I can pay off some of the money
that I've spent out of my own pocket
just cleaning up this whole mess.
It's making sure these rentals are high enough end
that you're gonna get the rent that you want,
because if you get the rent that you want,
then you can sell the building
for the price point that you want.
I have one more design element to tie it all together.
I'm at one of my favorite shops to go to for furniture,
accessories, wall coverings.
I've got this three-flat in Ukrainian Village.
Okay.
I want to make each apartment very different.
I want something that's not gonna break the bank,
something durable, too, because these are rentals.
So something vinyl.
Yeah, vinyl would probably be the safest.
Okay, great. We can go in here.
Today I am here to find some wall coverings for Augusta.
-Let me pull some books for you. -Yeah.
Something that's gonna feel a little more organic.
Now, is this real grass cloth?
No, that's a vinyl.
That's what I need.
Which is good for a rental.
It'll install randomly,
and so you won't be able to see the seams.
Okay.
And it looks like bark on the wall.
Cool.
I have three units, and I want them to be neutral,
but I also still want to have fun with them.
That's fun, a little bit different.
Maybe get a little bit of a younger renter in here.
So I want it to be something universal
but has a little punch.
Okay, this, this, and this.
I'm gonna take those back
and lay them out with all of my other materials
to be able to choose which one's going where.
Countertops are here.
And I'm going with the same beautiful manufactured stone
that I use for all my projects.
They're indestructible.
They're going to be so durable for whoever buys this building.
And low maintenance is key.
And the way that they tie in
with those beautiful backsplashes.
By choosing different tile for each unit
and the continuity of having it on the backsplash
and then running it behind the cabinets
and then running it around the hood.
These are all glass doors. So you see through them.
This is just a really great way
to keep things open and light and bright
but also to have more visual appeal.
Makes it look like it has a custom hood, but it's not.
This is more than what people would expect.
That's where you're really gonna up the value
for anybody that wants to buy this building
and keep it as an investment opportunity.
Texture and color is what I want in this wallpaper.
This is the main living space.
You know, you walk in, boom, this is the first wall you see.
Ivan is here today,
and he is gonna be doing wallpaper on the focal wall.
This is just around the match.
So, you know, we don't have to match anything.
We just cut the lengths.
Really glob it on there, huh?
Yeah.
Spend a little more but make a little more,
because I think these are just gonna up the overall look
and the overall feel for renters
when they come in to check these units out.
We have to put the glue now on this wall.
Ah!
Yes.
I chose three different colors
for all three units but the same style.
It looks like wood.
It's got the knots, but it's vinyl.
I love it. They make it easy with those -- the planks.
Yeah.
You know, you're bringing in a little bit of color, texture.
It's such a great way to do an accent wall.
Perfect length.
Beautiful.
It's almost like 3-D.
And I think people are gonna love that
right when they open those doors.
I'm going with faux turf for Augusta.
Ultimately, the goal is to sell the entire building.
I want a buyer to walk in and be like,
"I will pay $1.6 million for this."
So what they look at first and foremost is,
what are the expenses?
And you don't want landscaping to be one of them.
I've eliminated that as a line item.
That's a zero cost every month.
So you spend a little more up front
but you actually save more over time.
And that's what people who are looking to buy a building,
that's what they want to see.
Here she is.
The globe lights that I found...
They had three, so each unit gets the globe.
...they're not super old,
but they were from an old car wash in Chicago
before it was demo'd.
I've never owned a car wash,
but if I did, I guess I'd spend money on light fixtures.
But look how cool these are.
These on at night glowing with, like, the stained gla--
And those stained-glass pieces right there are original.
Three identical fixtures. Really cool look.
Kind of like mod-looking.
But when those globes are just lit up...
Oh, I love it.
...curb appeal-wise, that stained glass of the window
and then the globe glowing behind it.
I think it was a really good move.
Oh! That's right.
-The round or the -- -Let's try one of each.
I think that might be fun, but it might be too much.
But we'll see.
So over each island in each unit...
Let's hope they look good.
...my assistant Eric came up with a really great idea.
He thought, "Why don't we just do something simple
that doesn't take away from anything?
We'll just do just a simple hanging pendant
and just do those really cool, extra-large Edison bulbs."
Maybe we do them in different shapes.
I got to look at it from down here.
It's cool.
It's cool.
It's young, it's hip. Like, I want it to be fun.
It was a brilliant idea.
Eric for the win.
Today is the Ari install day at Augusta,
which I've been waiting so long for.
So I walk up through the alley, and he's all set up,
and the artwork is framing the outside.
It looks like an art gallery.
Look Oh, my God, these doors.
This is everything right here.
These are cool.
When I told Ari to have fun with color in his paintings,
I pulled that color from those windows.
And now those windows that are now doors
are going to inspire the built-ins that Ari's doing
and the color paint that I choose to paint those.
I know it's gonna break your heart,
but I am going to paint the one that was gonna get stained.
Oh!
I know.
It was such cool wood, too, I picked out.
Did you see the cabinets upstairs?
No, I haven't been up there yet.
Okay. It's such a heavy grain, even though it's melamine.
It might compete, but let's not make the decision yet.
Let's put it in there and see what it looks like.
These built-ins, they're not just a beautiful piece
that Ari's making and that, you know, I'm painting.
It's an opportunity for storage, and people want that.
I think renters in Chicago are willing to pay a premium
for a product like this,
and they're gonna want plenty of storage.
This is my opportunity to really have fun with color.
This is the blue unit.
You walk in, textured wallpaper. It's all vinyl.
Then you've got the island and the base cabinets.
As much as I hate getting rid of the stain,
but look, you see -- It's just heavy grain.
It's competing too much. You're right.
And I think that bluish is gonna look --
You're right again. [ Laughs ]
Can you get that on camera?
For the top unit, I'm pulling in the blues.
I really want the blues from that stained glass to be,
you know, something that's highlighted by that built-in.
That's it, guys.
So I'm painting it this really rich blue
and then leaving the countertop to be stained
in a really nice chocolate brown to complement the floor.
With the middle unit,
I have a lot of these beautiful blush tones
in that stained glass.
What if I go mauve?
I love the blush tones in anything these days,
so why not do a full built-in?
So I want to pull that blush into that built-in
and paint the entire thing blush.
Ooh. Wow.
With the downstairs unit, a lot of the greens.
It's exactly the same.
I didn't even mean to do it.
I want rich, rich hunter green to pull from the stained glass.
Ooh.
That's the one.
There's certain moments when you walk into these units
where you're gonna be wowed when you turn and you face
that beautiful stained-glass piece
and then next to it the built-in in a really vibrant color.
Where are we thinking for chairs?
In the staging process,
when me and my team start to pull together
some of the furniture and colorways,
by giving each unit a lot of personality
and by giving a renter
the capability to personalize each space,
I think that ups the price.
And I feel like I've already done that with the wall covering.
And I feel like I've already done that with the tile.
And I feel like we've done it with the cabinets.
You know, we've given them everything
that you could possibly want in a space like this.
And I think that's why,
you know, we can ask for a higher rent.
We're almost done, and then we start renting these units out.
It has been one hell of a project
with two stop-work notices
and the overall drama of what has happened in the last year.
Time's running out, and so let's clear the space.
Let's get this place into a beautiful state and sell it.
ALISON: This is the last project that Donovan is still on.
I needed that energy to change,
whether it's the energy you're bringing into a space
or the energy the space is bringing to you.
And Augusta has been bringing me so much bad energy.
The candle's gonna burn any negative chi or energy,
and the flower's gonna replenish the positive.
Do you have 20 more candles?
Today I'm meeting with a feng shui expert.
Normal me years ago would have been like,
"Ha ha, this is weird."
And now it's like I believe so much in that energy.
You're gonna feel the difference.
We're gonna light the candle
to burn that stagnant chi in each room.
I don't know. I'm going with it.
Your home is divided into nine areas of life.
The power positions are the wealth and the relationships.
Lookit, I have so much purple, though.
That's the wealth color.
I mean, I love purple.
She's showing me this dish that has different crystals in it.
I need money.
So I was just picking all the money rocks.
What is the next thing?
There are a lot of different ways that you can clear energy.
You can clear it through sound.
If you clap from low to high closer to the walls,
that'll break up the energy.
-Awesome. -Yeah, so let's go ahead.
[ Clapping ]
I mean, am I going here? Oh, she's over there.
Uh-oh, the candle blew out.
I definitely was feeling an energy shift.
I mean, listen, we were on step, like, 32.
It's hard not to feel a shift.
The next part is gonna be the sage.
Do you want to follow me with the feather
and just kind of like...
[ Laughs ]
How cute is this little nursery?
I'm obsessed with how you staged it.
This is the partnership gua of the -- of the unit, too.
What's that mean?
Relationship, partnership.
No wonder the energy's negative.
-It went out again. -Isn't that crazy?
There's literally no vent there.
-No. -It's super weird.
So then Kristina was like, "Okay, we're gonna ball up,
we're gonna scoop it up like ice cream, just scoop it up,
and we're gonna push the energy out."
Scoop it up.
[ Blows ]
Get it out.
Get it out.
People think we're crazy.
You know what's crazy?
The [bleep] I just went through
for the last year and a half of my life.
[ Laughs ]
Now whoever buys this property and lives in this property
is no longer attached to its history.
I love that.
Neither are you.
Yeah, I'm ready to show it to my Realtor,
and then it's gonna go on the market.
-Here she is! -Wow.
Now it's the moment I've been waiting for --
to find out, am I going to be able to get the rent that I want
that will ultimately let me sell this building
for the price point that I want?
Come on in.
Oh, my G-- I cannot believe this is the same place.
Today I am showing Vince Augusta.
-Here she is! -Wow.
Looks pretty.
It's a rental,
and then we are gonna sell the building as a whole.
I definitely value him in the sales portion of it,
and I know that he's got the team to support the rental.
Each one's a little different.
Yeah.
Because Vince sold me this building,
he knows what the outside looks like,
but with a few minor changes...
it's completely transformed.
Lighting was added.
There's no sconce or anything out in the front.
All the white's new paint, black windows, all the new casing.
It gives it that really young look.
Alright, come look inside.
VINCE: So I'm really excited to see what she's done with it,
'cause this is exactly the kind of building
that she usually makes from meh to wow.
Okay, unit one.
Wow!
I cannot believe this is the same place.
His eyes are going everywhere and noticing
all of these focal points that I was hoping he would.
What is going on here? Is this wallpaper?
Oh, yeah.
Each unit, you'll see --
Oh, but it's textured.
Okay, great.
This is scrubbable, wash--
I mean, old fixtures from an old iconic Chicago car wash.
Upscale, little more sophisticated
but still young and fun.
Yeah.
And then you come into the kitchen.
Full upgrade on this appliance package.
I love the gunmetal.
Spent a little more on cabinets
'cause I thought it was worth it.
But again, they're durable.
Yeah, everything feels like -- feels expensive in here.
Floors are low-maintenance.
Wider plank, darker finish.
They look great.
Storage, I think it's good for this unit, okay?
You do have tons of storage here.
And then this back wall, I wanted something
that was going to feel very single-family and very upscale.
You've got the straight set brick set
that encases the hood.
I really like this, the tile behind the cabinet.
That's an extra little something.
You didn't have to do that, but it's cool.
I'm trying to set myself apart from any other developer
by giving a product that no one else is,
and offering that, you're gonna get the price point.
I had Ari come in and do these units.
So these built-ins add more storage.
The reason I chose the green
is because it pulled out this green...
Yes.
...which this was an old window.
I've been dying to talk about this.
This is the star of the room.
VINCE: This is going to provide something
that's not out there right now for renters.
People are really more into finishes now than ever,
'cause we've had a lot of these high-end rental buildings
that came in, and they're all new.
But those are all the same.
And this is totally different.
That's what we bring to the table.
ALISON: He loves the stained-glass doors.
To be able to share that history with him,
he's gonna share that with the renters.
Look at this.
Oh, yeah, that's great -- in-unit washer/dryer.
You know, 'cause a lot of people ask for that.
That's something they want.
I feel like this is gonna up the value.
-Yeah. -You know.
You've got a secondary bedroom over here.
And then the master is in here.
Queen-size bed.
VINCE: Yeah. It's bright and sunny, too.
And then in the bathrooms, the hexagon tile
and then with the split-face stone in the tub shower.
All of the vanities in the units are all tailored vanities.
Elevated look.
And then you've got the smart mirrors
that are voice-activated.
Every bathroom has that.
Okay, so second unit.
Ooh, fancy.
Different backsplash, different wall-covering color,
and then different finish over here on this built-in.
VINCE: Blush, that's the color.
This I tied in to this blush tone.
Look at the light from here.
It's a game-changer, this door.
It just really makes the room feel different.
Okay, so this second bedroom I staged as an office,
but it gives you flexibility.
People want more room. They want home offices.
Home offices have never been more important.
Access to the other bathroom.
Come see the master.
In essence, the same layout, the same feel,
but there's so much to look at.
-Okay, third unit, so top. -Alright.
-Cool color on that wall. -Isn't that fun?
You are on top of the roof line here, in the sky.
The light, I think.
The lighting's beautiful.
They all look very different.
And then you come into the kitchen.
Open shelving, more storage,
and then again, we're pulling the blues.
Feel like renters are going to appreciate
this type of character.
Feels nice.
This one I staged as a nursery.
Little fun, little play here on the floor,
a little throwback, and then your classic subway tile.
And you've got the master.
You've got plenty of room for a really big dresser,
your TV.
-The closet door goes in. -Ah.
Hexagon tile, little upgrade on that reeded-looking tile.
VINCE: Yeah, it's cool.
Okay, so let's talk brass tacks, as they say.
What is your intention?
I want you to rent each unit
and then sell the whole building.
Alright. So let's talk money.
Yes.
They're smaller two-beds. They're full two-baths.
It's so, like, charming.
And you like the idea of fully furnished?
Yes, fully furnished is especially nice
'cause it's an extra advantage.
Usually a little bump up in price for it.
Because of that, we could probably get $2,800
for the units.
But to hear him say $2,800 fully furnished, which is huge!
We'll do parking separate.
Okay.
We'll charge $200 per parking space.
So $3,000, $3,000, $3,000.
So, I mean, roughly you'd have to do, going over the numbers,
I would say $1.5 million
is probably about the highest you could do,
$1.5 million.
Okay.
So he comes up with the price that we can sell it for
and ultimately tells me that we could go $1.5 million.
That's music to my ears.
So I think people are gonna like this location for sure.
That was kind of something we always liked.
Yeah.
But we do know what the first step is,
which is rent these units.
Let's get them filled up.
Done.
We bought Augusta for $560,000.
The beginning renovation cost that Donovan budgeted for
was $500,000.
The real costs at the end were $807,700.
So when you look at carpentry costs
and then all of the closing costs, property tax, and fees,
that was over what he budgeted.
If we sell for $1.5 million,
that will make a profit of $132,300.
We immediately got a renter at $2,800 fully furnished,
and they got one of the parking spaces for $200,
so that means we're a third of the way
to renting out this building.
And even one tenant, one lease
looks really appealing to potential buyers.
That means we are one step closer,
really close to selling this building.
But for now, Augusta is on the market.
It's a very positive place that I'm in after the clearing
and now getting the pricing from Vince.
So now fingers crossed. Let's get them rented.
That's number one.
In the last year and a half of my life,
I've gone through hell.
I'm not back.
This is not, oh, such a bright ending.
It was hard work just to get to this goal for it to be ruined
because of choosing the wrong partner.
I'm fighting for my life every day.
This is so far from over.
I really wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy.
You think you're strong. You think that you're capable.
But I don't think anybody knows
truly how much strength they have until they're in it.
I'm gonna keep fighting the fight.
And what I want to keep doing
is making everything around me beautiful,
even through the sadness and the pain.
I'm not done channeling that little girl
who drove around in this city that I call home
and try to make it beautiful every day.
I'm not done doing that.
