if(document.querySelector("#ads")){ Season 2 premiered with those lawsuits front and center clients from previous episodes were suing the team for defective work, with one even noting that a few days after closing, their upstairs bathroom flooded into their kitchen (via Republic World). Many clients of Alison and Donovan who were featured in the season claimed that the duo had done defective and shoddy work in their million-dollar luxury homes. In addition to focusing on home renovation projects, the season dealt with the break-up of Alison and Donovan's business over a dispute on contractor expenses. They dont understand theres a distinction between reality and TV, even when the TV show represents itself as reality.. While season 1 of the show received good reviews from the fans, it whipped up a lot of controversies after its end. Alison Victorias attorney argues that the buyers are trying to bully her into settling baseless claims. Here's why he is facing multiple lawsuits. Former Windy City Rehab contractor Donovan Eckhardt said he experienced anxiety and depression after being falsely accused of misappropriating money and subjected to social media attacks from fans of the popular HGTV show, according to a lawsuit filed Monday in Cook County court. eventAction: 'click_image_ads' (HGTV). Season 1. } A judge in Cook County dismissed the lawsuit, according to the outlet, saying it is outside of her jurisdiction as Donovans contract is out of California. Former 'Windy City Rehab' host Donovan Eckhardt drops a zinger in feud with Alison Victoria In an affidavit filed last week, Eckhardt tucked six seemingly pointed words inside a parenthesis. Alison Victoria Gramenos is asking $2.195 million for the. ADVERTISEMENT Donovan has around 5.6K followers on IG @donobro. HGTV has not announced if Windy City Rehab will return for a third season. Would love your thoughts, please comment. According to the counterclaim, Eckhardt had minority ownership interest in 612 West Stratford LLC at certain times in the past. His company, Greymark, was retained as general contractor for the renovation of the Stratford and Orchard buildings. Instead, the suit is specifically toward Discovery Inc. and Big Table Media, claiming the companies purposely edited the series to make Eckhardt look like a villain. In his original filing, Eckhardt reported that he'd suffered social media attacks from fans because of his portrayal on the series, and that helped lead to anxiety and depression. Cinemablend is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Unlike many HGTV programs, the projects are all city-based, including town homes and apartments. Obviously, both stars of Windy City Rehab have seen several setbacks when it comes to the show and all of the legal drama surrounding it for the past two years. There's nothing worse than having to face multiple lawsuits for claims of defective and shoddy work when you work in renovation, but both Alison and Donovan have. But state prison time of 16 months, 2, or 3 years is also possible for felony grand theft. ga('ads.send', { According to Cinema Blend, Donovan was not only fired from Windy City Rehab in the spring of 2019, but he also filed a lawsuit against Big Table Media and Discovery the show's production and parent companies for $2.2 million. A buildings department representative told the Tribune last year Greymarks license expired in March 2020 and was not renewed. However, as soon as the show ended, many fans were shocked to learn that the duo got into some trouble with their clients soon after the season ended. Baby Mia Jade Riley: Parents Lani and Tom Riley speak out after dog attack killed their 5-week-old infant, 'We have lots to reveal': Madeleine McCann lookalike Julia Wandelt posts footage of meeting with PI probing claims, Kyle Sambrook: Hiker falls 100ft to death while carrying his dog in one hand through 'appalling' weather, Killer mom Lindsay Clancy was suffering from drug withdrawal and had 'worst side effects,' says friend, Bruce Willis's mom Marlene 'not sure if her son still recognizes her' as 'aggressiveness' creeps in. A lawyer for Donovan Eckhardt, Daniel Hogan, tried to argue that moving the venue from Illinois to California would be too much of a burden for witnesses in the defamation case. A house in the Bucktown neighborhood is renovated with a potential buyer in mind. They are seeking a jury trial. Eckhardt's attorney has already filed an appeal in the hopes of having the decision overturned, but we don't know right now if the plan is to re-file the lawsuit in California should the appeal prove unsuccessful. Batman is created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. Despite the many success stories seen on Windy City Rehab, behind the scenes a lot of drama has gone down. UPDATE: A Cook County, Illinois judge has dismissed former Windy CIty Rehab cohost Donovan Eckhardt's defamation claim against the program's showrunners. Even though that would seem to be a worthwhile justification, especially with the current, tricky state of our ongoing health crisis, Judge OBrien Sheahan noted that video-recorded testimony and other remote forms of participation were possible, so she rejected the argument and dismissed Eckhardt's lawsuit. While the first lawsuit had dealt a heavy blow to Alison and Donovan, a second one followed within a few days. Season 3 of HGTVs Windy City Rehab has officially begun, and it looks like this season will give designer and home renovator Alison Victoria her redemption arc. Score: 5/5 (64 votes) . One Chicago couple claimed that the day after they closed on their house (the renovation of which was featured in an episode of Season 1), an upstairs bathroom started leaking gallons of water into the kitchen below it. Victoria and Eckhardt's company bought a Gold Coast condo that was renovated on a Season 2 episode of Windy City Rehab which aired in October 2020, and the suit claims that the loans were. He is the founder of companies like VizCorp, Eckhardt properties, BE custom millwork, and Greymark development group. 'Windy City Rehab' Season 3: Where is former co-host Donovan Eckhardt now. By Mitch Dudek Jun 9, 2021, 3:20pm PST Former 'Windy City Rehab' host Donovan Eckhardt drops a zinger in feud with Alison Victoria Pocket Flipboard The third lawsuit might have hurt far worse than the other two as it came from Michael Ward Jr. who was a former friend of Donovan. . A Wicker Park couple and a Lincoln Square couple are separately suing Gramenos, Pajazetovic and Eckhardt for alleged fraud related to renovations of their homes, which were featured on the first season of Windy City Rehab., Eckhardt is being sued by Ridge Development Partners over mortgage allegedly due for a Bucktown property, but Ridge said in an April 15 filing it is seeking to have the suit dismissed as all issues have been resolved.. But construction projects don't always go as planned, and a lawsuit filed in Cook County on December 30 alleges that the Windy City Rehab team defrauded James and Anna Morrissey. Donovan Eckhardt was Alisons right-hand man on the HGTV show, but hes no longer a cast member. Season 2 of the 'Windy City Rehab' saw the duo, Alison and Donovan fighting lawsuits. Donovan Eckhardt, a 40-year-old Chicago-based contractor, gained popularity with his appearance in the show 'Windy City Rehab' Season 1, which aired in January 2019. Victoria is beset by legal troubles associated with her popular . While it's clear that Victoria and Eckhardt are no longer friends or business partners, the suit does not mention Victoria by name. (Tracy Swartz/Chicago Tribune). The co-hosts both lost their ability to apply for work permits in Chicago after a lengthy series of code violations at nearly a . Interior designer Alison Victoria buys and restores old homes in Chicago. What happened to [] }); Season 2 of Windy City Rehab showed Eckhardt and Alison Victoria's working relationship break down, and did, definitely, play Victoria as a "victim" of his supposedly shady business practices who seemed to only be interested in designing and claimed to know nothing about how he was handling the financials and other aspects of their partnership. Gramenos and Eckhardt ran into trouble with the city in the subsequent months. Alison is not named in the lawsuit, per Deadline. Powered by. The Truth About Windy City Rehab's Donovan Eckhardt. To prove embezzlement, a prosecutor must prove beyond a reasonable doubt to a moral certainty that the defendant had a specific intent to defraud the victim of property entrusted to the defendant through the fiduciary relationship. February 1 50 Brilliant Upcycling Projects From HGTV Stars 51 Photos By: Lauren Oster ga('ads.send', { Donovan filed a lawsuit against HGTV parent company Discovery and Windy City Rehab producers Big Table Media. Donovan's lawsuit filed in California reveals that his business, Greymark Development Group, has taken a big hit. Interior designer Alison Victoria buys and restores historic Chicago homes. Judge Patricia O'Brien Sheahan. Windy City Rehab proved to be an instant hit, hooking viewers with Victoria's entertaining efforts at giving old homes sharp new style for profit. THE PLAYBOY REPORT ON AMERICAN MEN ALEX HALEY: "MY PROBLEMS WITH ROOTS" 1 iM THE CHEERLEAD HGTVsWindy City Rehabrevolves around home renovation projects in Chicago. Catch new episodes of Windy City Rehab Tuesdays at 9 p.m. EST on HGTV. eventAction: 'view' While the show was a major hit right out of the gate, it wasn't long after the first season aired that numerous problems with the homes that were renovated by contractor Donovan Eckhardt and designer Alison Victoria came to light. Read |Who is Medina El Aidi? The "luxury" home that they renovated had somehow started falling apart. From permit violations to stop-work orders to lawsuits alleging shoddy construction and fraud, the show has garnered plenty of controversy. Shane and Samantha had reportedly also dealt with "construction and warranty defects, including water damage, cracking concrete columns and a problematic garage. The couple claimed that their garage which required more than $100,000 in repairs. Judging by IG, Donovan appears to be doing well. Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. A historic home (converted to apartments) in the Lincoln Park neighborhood is renovated. pg.acq.push(function() { }); These days, it seems that Donovan is determined to move forward. window.adsContainer = {"position2":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Above_Next_Rel","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position3":{"code":"Article_Mobile_300x250_ATF_Rel","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position4":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle_Rel","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position5":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle1_Rel","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position6":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle2_Rel","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position7":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle3_Rel","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position8":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle4_Rel","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position9":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle5_Rel","max_width":320,"max_height":250},"position10":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle6_Rel","max_width":320,"max_height":250},"position11":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle7_Rel","max_width":320,"max_height":250},"position12":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle8_Rel","max_width":320,"max_height":250},"position13":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle9_Rel","max_width":320,"max_height":250},"position14":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle10_Rel","max_width":320,"max_height":250},"position15":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle11_Rel","max_width":320,"max_height":250},"position16":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle12_Rel","max_width":320,"max_height":250}} In March 2019, the Morrisseys bought a 4,000 square foot home at 2308 West Giddings Street in Lincoln Square for $1.36 million. She went on to star in Windy City Rehab in 2019 and she also appears on Rock The Block. "Windy City Rehab" co-star Donovan Eckhardt is not backing down in his defamation lawsuit against the show. Alison and Edward renovate their oldest (Civil War era) house yet. The Tribune also notes that Eckhardt's general contractor license was recently expired and has not been renewed. According to real estate agent. He's filed a second lawsuit in California. I have zero knowledge of the Stratford or Orchard projects. As the stars of HGTV's Windy City Rehab, Alison Victoria and Donovan Eckhardt spend a lot of time together. Other suits have been dropped. Judge Patricia O'Brien Sheahan. On August 18, 2020, it was announced that the second season would premiere on September 15, 2020. Donovan was a contractor on the show and the two decided to pitch Windy City Rehab to HGTV. Alison also appeared to blame Donovan for a lot of the issues. From permit violations to stop-work orders to lawsuits alleging shoddy construction and fraud, the show has garnered plenty of controversy. Eckhardt categorically disputed allegations of financial mismanagement and theft from the firm. All seemed well on the surface until the middle of season 2 when Donovan left the show after falling out with Victoria on-screen over their projects finances as per People. Attorneys for HGTVs parent company and Big Table Media did not immediately return a Tribune request for comment. I dont know what to believe anymore because for so long I was letting him run all the budgets, do the bank draws, deal with the bank accounts, and I just was designing, she said in the episode, via the Chicago Sun-Times. Our work isnt just business; its a relationship.. hitType: 'event', Windy City Rehab has had its share of lawsuits since it first aired. 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