Karma – The Great Equalizer

On February 24, 2010, in Architects, Career, Observations, by Bob Borson

Faith. I don’t have it, at least not in the religious sense. I have friends that are deeply devoted to their faith and I will admit that I am jealous of them at times. In an effort of self-preservation, I’ll dismiss it as a by-product of youthful indoctrination or some life-changing tragedy (or near tragedy), but that’s not really fair and I truly believe I would be happy if I had some of their faith. For now, I am going to stick with the idea of karma and cosmic justice because (and let’s be completely honest here) it suits my needs.
Whenever I work with developers, it seems as though I spend a little more time thinking about karma because while my business interests align with developers, I am personally at odds with the relationship. The goals, or should I say goal – singular, of the generic developer is to make money and as much of it as possible. The only time aesthetics and experience, items that might seem intrinsic but are important to me, are discussed with a developer is when they add to the bottom line. Maybe I should say the only time we discuss them are when they are important to the developer and they add to the bottom line.
Every time I have had a conversation along these lines with another architect, we all agree that we would be willing to make less money to have a better project. If there is a gesture we can make that suits the building to the neighborhood, or changes the experience of the project at the street level, but it is going to costs us some portion of the percentage of profits, 95 times out of 100 we will forgo the money for the product. This would get you tarred, feathered, humiliated and ostracized in developer world.
Architect: “If we remove 1,200 square feet at the north end, we can pull the sidewalk off the 8 lane divided street and create and outdoor area with trees and benches, happiness and love…”

Developer: “Is someone gonna get killed if we leave the sidewalk right up against the road?”

Architect: “Let’s ask the Magic 8-ball.”

Magic 8-Ball: “Try again later.“

Developer: “There ya’ go. No outdoor area or love. Keep the building at the larger footprint – I’ll get more rent.”


I have a project going right now where I am dealing with a developer who owns the land that surrounds our lot on 2 sides. There is a drainage line that was installed as a requirement of his development to convey (remove) water off our site. What I am saying is that he had to install it for our use. The City made an error ten years ago and did not require the developer to dedicate this drainage line for our use and as a result, we are now having to go back and ask our developer neighbor to make it official. The developer, being a developer, knows that he can make demands on us simply because we need him to sign off on letting us use the drainage line (you know – the one that he was required to install for our use ten years ago). At any rate, he is basically extorting us for $19,800 worth of work on his property before he will sign the papers. What a scumbag.
To make things even more interesting, we have to get the signatures of every homeowner in this development whose property the drainage line goes through and I have been working on this for a month. Just as I thought we were through the process, the developer tells me that he sold one of the lots to someone last week and he finally decide to tell me this yesterday.
Developer: “Oh yeah, I closed on lot 10 last week.”

Me: “What? Did you tell the new homeowner about the drainage line?”

Developer: “About that, yeah – aahh, it never came up, it all happened so fast.”

Me: (After hanging up the phone and defeatedly under my breath) “Douche.”
Taking advantage of others simply because you can might be good business but it makes you a shitty person. I can’t imagine doing what he is doing, it wouldn’t even occur to me. If I was in that position, I know that I would help my neighbor out and be thinking that I made a friend.
If I had faith, I would forgive him his trespasses and pray that he finds his way. But I don’t have faith so while I’m not going to be the one that gets back at him, Karma is gonna catch up to him and he is going to get a cosmic smack down. Balance will be restored and all will be right with the world.
About the author

Bob Borson

Dallas architect who specializes in modern design. I'm AIA, Leed AP, NCARB certified, and previous Dallas AIA Young Architect of the Year (2009).

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  • Paul Anater

    Indeed. Isn't it funny how that works sometimes. Sleaze bags eventually hang themselves. Sometimes it takes too long though.

  • Paul Anater

    Indeed. Isn't it funny how that works sometimes. Sleaze bags eventually hang themselves. Sometimes it takes too long though.

  • patc

    if you had faith and were a rational thinker, you'd still believe in karma. I do, and all my other minister friends do, too. isn't it illegal to sell a property without disclosing something like a drainage issue? wouldn't that be your karma?REV. pat cleeland

  • patc

    if you had faith and were a rational thinker, you'd still believe in karma. I do, and all my other minister friends do, too.

    isn't it illegal to sell a property without disclosing something like a drainage issue? wouldn't that be your karma?

    REV. pat cleeland

  • Bob

    REV. Cleeland – thanks for your post.Let me take a moment to clarify a few things. I did not sell the property, it's not even a lot that I am working on. There also isn't a drainage issue – the lot that sold doesn't discharge any water into this drainage line. The line in question only passes through a portion of his lot and has been in place for over ten years. When this person bought his property from the developer, his survey would have shown the existence and location of this line. If you will recall, the drainage line was required to be put in for the sole purpose of draining water off our site. The city required it of the developer when he came in and box in the lot that my clients eventually bought.The only surprise this purchaser would have to contend with now is that they have to sign a document that will transfer the permission for this drainage line to remain in place should they ever sell their property. There really aren't any encumbrances put upon the new owner of the lot other than the surprise.Another piece if information that might alter how you perceive this situation is that the lot in question is part of a development where all the lots are called 'flag lots'. Basically, since utilities can't cross property lines, there are 10' wide by varying length strips of land that go from the lot that house sits upon down the private street of the development until it reaches the public right of way (the residence is a flag and the strip is the pole). The drainage line runs along the public right away and crosses through the 10' portion of his 'pole' some 120' away from his proper lot. The line also runs in the front yard setback so no development rights are lost. This exercise is now about doing the paperwork now that should have been done by the developer 10 years ago rather than by me, the architect, working on a lot up the street. Maybe I should have talked about passing the buck instead…Do you think it's too late for me?

  • Bob

    REV. Cleeland – thanks for your post.

    Let me take a moment to clarify a few things. I did not sell the property, it's not even a lot that I am working on. There also isn't a drainage issue – the lot that sold doesn't discharge any water into this drainage line. The line in question only passes through a portion of his lot and has been in place for over ten years. When this person bought his property from the developer, his survey would have shown the existence and location of this line. If you will recall, the drainage line was required to be put in for the sole purpose of draining water off our site. The city required it of the developer when he came in and box in the lot that my clients eventually bought.

    The only surprise this purchaser would have to contend with now is that they have to sign a document that will transfer the permission for this drainage line to remain in place should they ever sell their property. There really aren't any encumbrances put upon the new owner of the lot other than the surprise.

    Another piece if information that might alter how you perceive this situation is that the lot in question is part of a development where all the lots are called 'flag lots'. Basically, since utilities can't cross property lines, there are 10' wide by varying length strips of land that go from the lot that house sits upon down the private street of the development until it reaches the public right of way (the residence is a flag and the strip is the pole). The drainage line runs along the public right away and crosses through the 10' portion of his 'pole' some 120' away from his proper lot. The line also runs in the front yard setback so no development rights are lost. This exercise is now about doing the paperwork now that should have been done by the developer 10 years ago rather than by me, the architect, working on a lot up the street. Maybe I should have talked about passing the buck instead…

    Do you think it's too late for me?