As Temperatures Near 90, Loop High-Residents Say Management Refuses To Turn On Air Conditioning
CHICAGO (CBS) -- We almost hit 90 degrees in Chicago this Memorial Day, and hundreds of people living in one downtown high-rise said they couldn't escape it.
Some reached out to CBS 2 saying their building's management refuses to turn on the air conditioning. At this point, they tell CBS 2's Tara Molina they are concerned for their safety.
The temperature cooled down a bit Monday night, but not in that high-rise at 200 N. Dearborn St. Residents sent photos of thermostats at 80-plus degrees - temperatures they say they can't handle much longer.
"It's been terrible," said Andrew Groves.
Groves said the higher you go in the building, the hotter it is.
"It was 85 degrees last night for me and my wife," he said. "I had to go to my mother-in-law's today to take a nap. It was that hot."
Groves said there is nothing wrong with the building's air conditioning, management just refuses to turn it on.
And after three straight days of heat, with few places to escape during the stay-at-home order and a week of working from home ahead of them, Groves said management won't return phone calls or emails.
"It's kind of like they don't care," he said.
Groves said the same went with the property management company, First Service Residential.
So we gave it a try.
Molina wasn't able to get through to anyone at the building, so I tried First Service Residential, where, once she got through, customer service reps rerouted her call to the main menu.
Molina also followed up via email, twice.
Groves said the building's managers have said they will switch to A/C June 1, with claims that plan is backed by the city.
On Monday night, we still had not heard back from management and neither had Groves.
