I am writing to inform you of a situation regarding a downpayment for a real estate purchase that I made in the State of Florida. In January 2006 I placed a deposit on an "F" Unit, which was a pre-construction condominium in Signature Place, developed by Cantor Development/Gulf Atlantic Communities in St. Petersburg, Florida. I was promised a world-class apartment designed and built by the top firms in the industry. Unfortunately, what I was promised was completely different from what was delivered and after repeated attempts to have my deposit returned, due to the material changes made during construction, I had to resort to filing a lawsuit against the developer, Gulf Atlantic Communities. It is my understanding that the lead lender on the project, Fifth Third Bank of Cincinnati, Ohio is calling the shots and is not returning ANY deposits.

During the construction process there were numerous material changes made to the construction of, not only my individual condominium, but also the building overall. The changes made to my unit include: a missing hallway closet that was featured in the original design, completely redesigned kitchen with a significant reduction in countertop and cabinet space, wider columns in the living room taking up more floor space and impeding views and a patio that is 10% smaller and represents a safety hazard due to the final construction design. In addition to these problems in my specific unit, the building common areas (common rooms, pool area, etc.) are 30% smaller than originally promised. I believe that these substantial changes to the original design represent material differences compared to what I was promised and I had asked the developer and Fifth Third bank for a refund of my deposit per the terms of my agreement. I also have a signed document stating that I can get my deposit back at ANY time for any reason. I was still unable to get my deposit back from the bank or the developer and it is my understanding that they are trying to make people like me go through extensive litigation and to outspend the average consumer like me. After months of trying to resolve this issue amicably, I have had to resort to filing a lawsuit to attempt to obtain my original deposit.

I would appreciate any assistance in helping to resolve this matter and getting my deposit returned since this is not what I was promised or bargained for.

I also just want people to know the truth of what is going on at Signature Place in St. Petersberg FL.