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HGTV Says ‘Windy City Rehab’ Is ‘Currently in Production’ Despite Code Violations, City-Wide Suspensions for Hosts

Chicago has suspended host Alison Victoria from filing more permits. Her TV contractor got an even stiffer sentence

Tony Maglio and Reid Nakamura | July 11, 2019 @ 3:18 PM

Season 2 of HGTV’s “Windy City Rehab” is “currently in production,” an HGTV spokeswoman tells TheWrap, despite the City of Chicago suspending host Alison Victoria Gramenos — known on TV as Alison Victoria — from filing more work permits after numerous code violations.

The City of Chicago took the punishment a step further for her on-air contractor, Donovan Eckhardt, suspending both his residential real-estate developer license and his Greymark Development company’s general contractor license for one year, according to filings obtained by TheWrap.

“Issues related to ‘Windy City Rehab’ have been carefully reviewed,” the HGTV spokeswoman said. “Appropriate parties are in communication with local building officials and working to resolve any outstanding issues. Season 2 of the series is currently in production.”

The cable channel’s spokeswoman did not elaborate on what facets of the house-flipping series were still in production if neither Gramenos or Eckhardt — or the companies associated with them — could file more permits with the city.

The HGTV statement comes after the city issued stop-work orders on several of the duo’s properties — including some which were intended to be featured on Season 2 of “Windy City Rehab” — over what a spokesman for the city described as “pattern of unsafe work and building code violations.”

According to their individual suspension notices, Gramenos and Eckhardt’s violations included, but were not limited to: performing or directing work without a permit, performing or directing work that deviates from the approved plans, failing to schedule inspections, selling units without obtaining a certificate of occupancy, using unlicensed workers, making false statements on permits, and performing or directing work that would not meet code, among other infractions.

Eckhardt and Gramenos have separately moved to appeal the suspensions, though no decision has yet been made by the city. For now, Eckhardt is unable to pull permits “indefinitely.”

“The Dept. of Buildings takes this issue very seriously and takes action against developers and contractors who perform work that compromises safety for the public, workers or building occupants,” a spokesman for the City of Chicago’s buildings department told TheWrap. “We have been monitoring the work of Greymark Development Group closely and have taken progressive disciplinary actions to stop what has become a pattern of unsafe work and building code violations at multiple properties.”

Representatives for the city first met with Eckhardt back in March, when they say they laid out expectations for his work.

I suppose that if you are going to skirt around building codes, it would be better to not do it on television.

I'm a licensed contractor with lots of professional and amateur want-a-be flipper clients who watch all of those HDTV shows. When they buy a property to flip, their time table for the remodel is 30 days. They do not account for:

a) the time it takes to measure, price and order materials and for the manufacturer to make up the product and shipping time. Examples: Windows, Flooring, Blinds, Cabinets and custom tile.

b) they have limited vocabulary, words like "permits" and "plans" eludes them.

c) Progress payments? What's that, after they sell the property and make money will they be able to pay their contractors and suppliers.

I purchased a Bank Owned House and all of the neighbors stopped by to see my progress. From a boxed in interior to a open space concept design, I completed the process in 40 days. Including designing, ordering materials and the install/remodeling. One neighbor wanted their kitchen re-done but didn't want to re-design their kitchen, look at cabinets and counter tops. Just "Start" the job and we'll pay it by ear.

I always thought somebody should verify the resale values on these rush-jobs. Most only show the "projected" sale value. Not the closed sale.

It's all staged, anyway. My daughter has a friend that was on House Hunters. For those unfamiliar, here's the premise:

- Realtor takes a buyer on tours of 3 homes in the general area of interest

- Buyer picks one of the homes to buy

tryan: Agreed! The older shows like this when they first started were decent. They showed real people doing real flips and making real mistakes with real money. At the end, every episode would have the actual sale price, how long it took to sell, and their real "profit."

The shows now just do a "projected" sale price and guess to make it all look good.

They've learned that they can sell a lot more advertising from the big box stores, Realtors, and so on -- if they make it all look quick, easy, and very profitable. So, they don't want to show "reality" any more -- they want to show a get-rich-quick scheme so that they can sell more advertising.

- John...

Martin: My wife and I like to watch for personal items already in the home during the "showing" that belong to the people when they show them "3 months later" at the end. We find items all the time.

For example, you'll see a specific kayak in the garage or on the back porch during the showing -- and then buyer with the same kayak later during the "3 months later" segment. Clearly, they had already bought that place BEFORE the showing -- their personal stuff was already there! They just tried to hide it, of course. :)

- John...

It's unfortunate that they're "stars" to begin

with.

Wait....y'all are saying TV isn't real and it's all just a show for ratings?!?!

Those shows are always getting in trouble. Like that gem show with the miners on Mt. Antero in Colorado. We're actually heading up there pretty soon ourselves to look around a bit more.

When they got famous it was discovered that most of the miners didn't have legal claims and were commercially exploiting forest service land. Oops. LOL

nhsailmaker: That's actually on the list of charges being looked into.

- John...