My question is, what is best way to scale and continue buying properties without depleting all of my money?  

If you allow this to continue, they will only get worse over time, and your losses will increase.I suggest you hire an attorney.

another property to the portfolio, and a continued relationship with a live long client

They aren't the actual bank so need to upcharge these fees and hoping in volume they can make enough to continue operating. 

The market in the area is dynamic and continually changing.

Very solid market, been investing there over 10 yrs and the rents continue to climb! 

We’d like to continue with this project remotely, but the idea of managing contractors and overseeing a renovation from afar feels a bit daunting.Have any of you undertaken a similar project?

Or should I continue to stick it out and pay things off each month until caught up?

So back to the drawing board, but for myself the big takeaway is to continue on the course that I set out on and too continually learn and stay involved with goals that I set out on and to stay focused.

I own 11 properties currently and I have only sold 1 in the past because it was a condo with a fraud HOA company.