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The owners of West Grove apartments, off Kensington Drive and MacArthur Court, are
challenging the assessment of six of the buildings in the complex.
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WAUKESHA - A
Brookfield company is suing the city of Waukesha, alleging it
overassessed six apartment buildings the company owns on the
city's west side.
In a complaint
filed Thursday in Waukesha County Circuit Court, WGBTL
Investments, LLC alleges the city overvalued the properties
- 2109, 2147,
and 2105 Kensington Drive and 2112, 2100 and 1015 MacArthur Court
- by more than $9 million.
According to
Mike Patnode, a commercial appraiser in the Waukesha City
Assessor's Office, the properties are actually part of a 10-parcel
apartment complex comprised of eight buildings and two vacant
parcels.
City property
records indicate WGBTL purchased the entire 10-parcel development
for $36.5 million in January 2017.
The city
assessed the entire development at $36,175,000 this year, later
providing distinct assessments for each of the 10 parcels at the
owner's request, Patnode said.
The company
does not provide a reason why it believes the city erred in its
assessment, but lists what it believes is the fair market value
for the six parcels in question. In the case of 1015 MacArthur
Court, for instance, it alleges the fair market value is $5.4
million. The city puts the value of the building at more than $8.8
million.
Property taxes
for 2018 tax year have yet to be determined, but based on last
year's tax rate, WGBTL believes the allegedly faulty assessments
entitle it to a refund on its total 2018 tax bill of $175,126,
according to the complaint.
In addition to
a lowered assessment and tax relief, the plaintiff is also seeking
to have all of its litigation costs and attorneys’ fees
reimbursed if the court rules in its favor.
Attempts to
speak with someone at the Waukesha City Attorney's Office about
the case were unsuccessful on Friday.
No court dates
in the case had been set as of Friday afternoon.
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