BHA News - Brickell Homeowners Association

VOL. XXI
NO. 2
contents
4
6
10
12
16
BHA Legislative
Agenda
BHA founder, longtime president dies
Brickell CitiCentre
wows BHA members
Sleepy summers
thing of the past
Simpson Park eyed
as educational venue
60th Edition
BHA News
BRICKELL HOMEOWNERS
ASSOCIATION is comprised of
condominium
association
members and associate
members representing some
25,000 residential units
along the Brickell corridor and
on Brickell Key from the Miami
River to the Rickenbacker
Causeway and from Biscayne
Bay to I-95. Founded in 1990,
the purpose of BHA is to communicate common interests
more effectively and mobilize
support on important issues
relating to the quality of life in
our neighborhood.
www.brickellhomeowners.com
NEWSLETTER OF THE BRICKELL HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC.
Summer 2011
Construction begins on Brickell Avenue park;
more play and greenspaces in the works
hovels and hardhats
were donned and
photos were snapped.
Bulldozers started to move
the earth. Ground has been
broken officially and in
reality for the new neighborhood park at 1814
Brickell Avenue, envisioned
by City of Miami CommisCommissioner Marc Sarnoff and Commissioner Frank Carollo, along with BHA’s Gail
sioner Marc Sarnoff as “the
Feldman and Natalie Brown (3rd and 2nd from right), City of Miami staffers and the landpremiere park of Miami.”
scape designers break ground at 1814 Brickell Avenue.
“BHA and the Brickell
Area group have been the backbone behind nic area and playground. It will have open
this project,” Commissioner Sarnoff said at the lawn space as well as hardscapes for easy traJune 2nd ceremonial start of the construction. versing. Commissioner Sarnoff assures us that
Enea Garden Design created the land- women in high heels can come to this park and
Continued on page 5
scape plan which features a reading area, pic- navigate it with
S
Candidates Forum slated for Sept. 14
ark your calendar for BHA’s Candidates Forum, Wednesday, September
14, 7:00 p.m. at Miami Science Museum. This forum provides an opportunity to hear
from the candidates and ask questions of
importance to you and the Brickell community.
All those with residential and business interests
in the Brickell area and surrounding neighborhoods are urged to attend.
We are pleased to welcome KW Property
Management as sponsor and underwriter of the
evening. Refreshments will be served and there
will be plenty of free parking at the Museum,
3280 S. Miami Avenue, across from Vizcaya.
The November races of particular importance to BHA are all in the City of Miami: Com-
M
mission Districts 1, 2 and 4. BHA
falls into District 2, which is represented by Commissioner Marc
Sarnoff, however, the candidates and incumbents for all three races have been invited to
the Forum as their opposition or support is critical to items of importance to Brickell. District 1
is represented by Commissioner Willy Gort and
District 4 by Commissioner Francis Suarez.
The format will be brief, timed presentations from each candidate and then questions
from the audience.
Candidates Forum hosting partners are the
South Miami Avenue Homeowners Association,
Miami-Roads Neighborhood Civic Association
and Brickell Area Association.•
Safeguarding quality of life for the Brickell community
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From the President Ernesto Cuesta
Communications and the political arena
n so many aspects of life, we are often
reminded that communication is key
to successful outcomes.
In business, conveying one’s advantages over that of others generates customers and builds brands.
In interpersonal relationships, the
ability to express oneself honestly yet
tactfully promotes healthy, lasting bonds
with others.
In politics, communication is similarly key. We want to hear where elected
officials stand on issues, that they hear
our concerns and that they have not just
ideas, but the necessary skills to make
things better. We want to hear from candidates for office about how they would
address our concerns and solve our
problems.
We are able to respond to elected
officials and those aspiring to office
through the election process.
I
Lately in Miami we’ve had more
occasions than usual to make our voices heard in the political arena. Surprisingly, although many are unhappy with
local government, few take advantage
of these opportunities. In the County
Mayoral recall in March and the May
election and June runoff to fill the empty post, we saw abysmal voter turnout;
about 200,000 people out of 1.2 million registered voters, or 16 to 17%.
Why don’t residents turn out at the
polls? Some don’t think their vote will
matter. Some think that politics is so rotten that even the “good guys” and gals
can’t effect change. Whatever the excuse,
the reality is that the polls are our only
chance of making ourselves heard…in
the language that politicians hear.
The BHA Board has made voter
education and engagement a priority for
our community.
Ernesto Cuesta, from The Metropolitan
In this issue you’ll read about our
Candidates Forum, an annual event
BHA has held with its partner organizations for elections for 20 years. The
Candidates Forum is your chance at
two-way communication. The candidates are there to answer your questions. Then, at the polls in November (or
earlier by absentee ballot) we get a
chance to be heard again.
BHA will be holding voter registraContinued on next page
BHA Board of Directors
BHA OFFICERS
PRESIDENT Ernesto Cuesta
THE METROPOLITAN
VP/TREASURER Eduardo del Rio
BRICKELL TOWNHOUSE
VP/GENERAL COUNSEL Santiago
Echemendia
Marguerite Beaty
Susan King
THE PALACE
BRICKELL WOODS
Enrique Cordoba
Joaquin Mayoral-Parracia
BRICKELL SHORES
THE METROPOLITAN
Jose Maria Carneiro da Cunha
Stephen Owens
SANTA MARIA
THREE TEQUESTA POINT
Timothy Czerniec
Juan Carlos Pulido
TWO TEQUESTA POINT
TWO TEQUESTA POINT
500 BRICKELL (WEST BLDG.)
SECRETARY Gail Feldman
Fred Drasner
Juan Carlos Sagreda
BRISTOL TOWER
FOUR SEASONS RESIDENCES
BRICKELL PLACE PHASE I
MEMBER AT LARGE Larry Imber
Katherin Fernandez
Mac Seligman
THE PALACE
THE CLUB AT BRICKELL BAY PLAZA BRICKELL TOWNHOUSE
MEMBER AT LARGE David Lucterhand
Lourdes Figueroa
Xavier Suarez
THE IMPERIAL AT BRICKELL
BRICKELL 25
William Fitch
Scott Wizner
DIRECTORS
BRICKELL ON THE RIVER
VILLA REGINA
Guillermo Undiano Aguilar
Louis Gonzalez
Yvonne Yeomanson
BRICKELL PARK
ST. LOUIS
HOUSES OF BRICKELL
Astrid Annexy
Sergio Garcia Granada
THE ATLANTIS ON BRICKELL
BRICKELL BAY CLUB
BRICKELL EAST
Blanche P. Back
Steve Greenberg
ASSOCIATE
MEMBERS
Marta Armas
BANKATLANTIC
Scott Buser
BROWN & BROWN OF FLORIDA
Donna Candreva
Arthur Murphy
CMC MANAGEMENT
Alan Ojeda
RILEA GROUP
Randy Olen
BRICKELL AREA ASSOCIATION
Fernando Perez
HOTEL URBANO ON BRICKELL
BRICKELL MAIN STREET, LLLP
(MARY BRICKELL VILLAGE)
Joseph L. Combs
Millie Raphael
IMMANUEL LUTHERAN CHURCH
Cesar Garcia-Pons
DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT
AUTHORITY
Robert B. Green
1550 BRICKELL APARTMENTS
Tibor Hollo
FLORIDA EAST COAST REALTY
Jeffrey Hooper
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Rabbi Chaim Lipskar
BETH DAVID CONGREGATION
Jeff Samas
WELLS FARGO INSURANCE SERVICES OF FLORIDA
Javier Sardinas
THE CONTINENTAL GROUP, INC.
Maria Tablada
MIAMI MANAGEMENT, INC.
Phillip Yaffa
ENGEL & VOELKERS
__________________
BRICKELL BISCAYNE
THE SHUL OF DOWNTOWN/
THE SHUL OF BRICKELL
Ron Smith
BRICKELL HARBOUR
Herbert Bailey
Bruce Higley
Greg Mangram
Natalie Brown
BRICKELL FOREST
2000 BRICKELL
Gabriel Barros
Carl Hochheiser
SOLARIS AT BRICKELL BAY
25 BAY TOWER
Michael Basanta
Reed Khan
THE EMERALD AT BRICKELL
SUMMER 2011
500 BRICKELL (EAST BLDG.)
BHA DEPUTY GENERAL COUNSEL
CITY NATIONAL BANK
COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
Regan Marock
ASST. COMMUNICATIONS DIR.
KW PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
Eugene Michelle
ST. JUDE CATHOLIC CHURCH
Josie Gulliksen
Cindy Bettner
ADVERTISING & MEMBERSHIP
SALES MANAGER
3
“President’s Column” continued
from previous page
tion activities in the fall to be sure our
neighbors who are eligible to vote are
registered and their residence data is up
to date for their Brickell precinct.
BHA will continue to do its best to
ensure that polling locations are convenient and accessible for its residents.
And finally, we will work to keep
channels open and dialog ongoing with
all our elected representatives, those
directly representing us in our district as
well as the other commissioners who
impact our quality of life with their support or opposition to matters important
to Brickell.
Our Legislative Agenda (opposite)
contains the highlights of our current
advocacy issues and quality of life concerns. It’s a dynamic list as new issues
come to our attention regularly. I welcome your ideas on how to make our
views heard and advance our goals for
the neighborhood. Please send me email:
president@brickellhomeowners.com.
See you at the Candidates Forum,
and at the polls!
•
BHA Legislative Agenda
FDOT and Brickell Avenue
•
•
•
•
Planned closure at SE 6th Street of
• Needed for our growing community of
major concern
families
Ineffective, dangerous flashing beacon Garbage & Waste Hauling
at 1800 block
• Condominium owners have long subsiKeeping the speed limit at 30 mph on
dized City of Miami garbage fees in
all of Brickell Avenue after construction
their property tax assessments despite
completed and not going up to 35 mph
paying private commercial haulers:
Sidewalk improvements, non-obstruction
refunds or service is sought
and safety
Parks and Green Space
•
•
•
School for Brickell Community
Development of 1814 Brickell Avenue
Park
Brickell Park
Other green space
Police Coverage of the Brickell area
•
•
Issues we’re monitoring:
•
Median Landscaping & Beautification •
•
Poor craftsmanship and inconsistent
design features leave the Brickell
Avenue medians—the gateway thoroughfare to the City of Miami—sorely
lacking and unbefitting the community
A dedicated force is sought
Enforcement of dog curbing, littering
and related “nuisance” ordinances
•
•
Mega billboards
Use of Impact fees from Brickell development
Code and Zoning Enforcement – including 1900 Brickell Avenue
FPL’s proposed new high voltage transmission lines, their location and impact
1221 Brickell Avenue, Suite 800 • Miami, Florida 33131
Phone: (305) 789-7900
www.kanecpas.com
4
BRICKELL HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION
“Parks” continued from front page
ease. The space was planned to accommodate those looking for a place to
relax as well as those looking to socialize, people with and without children,
and executives just taking a break after a
day at the office.
Designers gathered input from residents and incorporated a variety of key
elements to satisfy the diverse community.
The design incorporates and relocates a few existing palms, Live Oak and
Pink Tabebuia trees and adds Rain Trees,
Horseflesh Mahogany, Magnolia and
Live Oak trees. Areas will be framed by
Dwarf Firebush, Spanish Stopper and
Green Island Ficus shrubbery.
The project will convert the 35,000square-foot parcel (just under one acre)
into public greenspace for the surrounding community. At the June groundbreaking Commissioner Sarnoff thanked
Sheila and Tibor Hollo, who provided
initial funding toward acquiring the land.
He also thanked Commissioners Frank
Carollo and Francis Suarez for their support of the project.
Acquisition and construction costs
are being covered by improvement
funds still available in District 2. Construction is being carried out by the
City’s Capital Improvements department. A fall completion is planned.
The ideal sculpture has even been identified: La Familia by Manuel Carbonell.
Carbonell is the creator of sculptures familiar to Brickell, including two of
Miami's largest monuments: the 53-foot
Tequesta Family on the Brickell Avenue
Bridge and the 21-foot El Centinela Del
Rio at Tequesta Point on Brickell Key. Two
Carbonell monumental sculptures also
sit in front of Brickell Townhouse on
Brickell Avenue.
“Enea Garden Design incorporated
art into the park design because art
helps define a feeling of community,”
said Ricardo J. Gonzalez, director of
Beaux Arts Gallery in Brickell and agent
for the works of Carbonell. “In contrast
with European cities where art is an
essential part of their cities’ landscape,
art in Miami has not played an important part of our city’s budget up to now.”
The Cuban-born, modern master
sculptor has pledged to donate more
than half the cost of the La Familia, however its pricetag is still a not-insignificant
$250,000. A patron is needed.
“Having La Familia as part of the
park will not only make it a destination
park where people will come to enjoy
the art, but it will help to familiarize the
children with art at their early stage in
life,” Gonzalez said.
Other “pocket parks” in the works
In more green news, Commissioner
Sarnoff
is spearheading creation of
One feature of the design plan is still
another
public
park, at least as tempoan open item: a sculpture. Acquisition of
a monumental work of art was part of rary greenspace. This one is on that trithe design but ultimately outside the angular slice of land sandwiched
scope of the budget. A donor or bene- between South Miami Avenue and SE
factor is sought to complete the vision. 1st Avenue, and between 9th and 11th
Streets. Dubbed the “Flatiron”
parcel after the famous Manhattan skyscraper on Fifth
Avenue, the park would
occupy part of the three-acre
property until the owner
decides to build.
In more green news,
Commissioner Sarnoff listened to requests from area
residents and new playground
equipment is being installed at
Brickell Park, the public park
between the Icon condo and
To provide an idea of scale, the above image shows La Familia
First Presbyterian Church.
Wanted: Monumental Sculpture
superimposed in a park setting. It is 6 feet x 8 feet x 4 feet.
SUMMER 2011
Parks eyed
for years
BHA has
been advocating
for
more parks
for much of
its
twodecade existence. Soon
after Commissioner
Sarnoff took
Commissioner Marc Sarnoff
office in 2007,
he became a chief advocate for the
cause, vowing to BHA and moms with
strollers that he would find greenspace.
He said the Brickell community—unique
in Miami and beyond—has “beautiful
high rises, extraordinary buildings, but a
scarcity of greenspace.”
BHA contends that parks and other
improvements should have come to the
area through impact fees paid by developers who built huge new projects here.
”Impact fees were stolen from the
residents of Brickell,” BHA President
Ernesto Cuesta explains, “and used by
the City for purposes and in places other than where they were supposed to go;
that is, infrastructure support for the
neighborhood impacted by the additional people and increased demand for
resources.”
BHA is on guard to not let impact
fees be diverted in the future, such as
with the planned Brickell CitiCentre project. The nine-acre, mixed-used development will bring a lot of business, people
and amenities to the neighborhood, but
also necessitate corresponding infrastructure improvements on the part of
local government. BHA passed a resolution supporting the project, provided
that the City ensures that impact fees will
be properly spent.
BHA has long known and Commissioner Sarnoff has confirmed that impact
fees were not properly used during the
Brickell boom years in the early 2000s
when so many new condominiums were
built. The commissioner has been trying
to rectify the situation ever since to get
the resources due to the residents.
Green can come in many forms.
•
5
T. Sinclair “Tory” Jacobs
BHA founder leaves lasting legacy
HA’s long-time leader and founder,
Tory Jacobs, died in late March
after a battle with cancer at age
87. Tory served as president of BHA for
19 years after having founded the
organization with attorney Henry Taylor
Jr. in 1990.
“Tory was a mentor to me and a
close friend,” BHA President Ernesto
Cuesta said. “He had a visionary spectrum of makes a metropolitan city. He
was savvy in terms of dealing with elected officials and a great advocate and
citizen of the City of Miami.”
Financial Corporation, dedicated to
managing investments for institutional
clients.
Tory's first home was at 1865 Brickell Avenue, in Brickell Place I. In 1981
he moved to Brickell 25, a 37-unit
building on 25th Road overlooking Biscayne Bay. It was here that Tory met
Attorney Henry Taylor, who convinced
him that residents needed to be proactive rather than reactive, and that a
homeowners group of all the neighborhood condo owners could get further at
City Hall than just the few of them.
Together they formed BHA, which
was formally incorporated in 1990.
Tory was the natural choice as its first
president, a job that stuck. He worked
tirelessly on Brickell area initiatives
geared toward improving quality of life.
“We all stand on the shoulders of
Tory,” Commissioner Sarnoff told the
BHA Board in April. “He was the foundation of all we are doing here. We
will continue to improve upon his
work.”
Among the early battles were preventing a Greyhound bus station from
Tory Jacobs at Miami City Hall October 8, 2009, accepting the
moving
to Brickell, reducing jet ski
honor of S.E. 25th Road—where he lived for many years—
noise
and
guarding against advertisbeing named in his honor.
ing and commercial encroachment.
Tory devoted himself to the Brickell
In 2009, the City of Miami Commiscommunity, and was affectionately sion bestowed Tory with one of its highcalled “Mr. Brickell” by many. He first est honors: naming S.E. 25th Road “Tory
came to Miami from New York in the Jacobs Boulevard.” Commissioner
1970s, lured by an attractive job offer. Sarnoff said it was one of his proudest
He found he loved the warm climate moments as a city commissioner.
and the great activities outdoors.
“It was a privilege to work side by
Tory worked for General Develop- side with Tory in his role as president of
ment Corp (a.k.a. GDC), which was the the Brickell Homeowners Associalargest community development compa- tion…where we tackled quality of life
ny in Florida for a time. In 1985, he and related issues in Miami,” Commisbecame his own boss, forming Bankers sioner Sarnoff said in a release.
B
Tory Jacobs outside his condo at Brickell 25
“Together with Tory we successfully
fought for increased beautification,
noise and traffic abatement, as well as
the launching of the Brickell Avenue
Streetscape Plan and backing projects
such as Mary Brickell Village.
“A great man has passed on but he
leaves behind a great legacy for the residents and businesses of Brickell Avenue
and the City of Miami to enjoy for
decades to come, the Commissioner
said.”
Editor’s Note: I had the privilege of working with Tory on BHA for many years. He was
incredibly devoted, always eager to learn
new things, tackle new problems and meet
new people. He made a tremendous impact
on the Brickell community.
•
In the 2007 photo above, Tory Jacobs is at the podium at a
City Commission meeting while Commissioner Sarnoff
presents an ordinance for the Brickell area.
BHA News is published by the Brickell Homeowners Association to keep neighbors, public officials and others in the community informed of the activities and concerns of its residents. Advertising is accepted on a space-available basis, and BHA
reserves the right to accept or reject all advertising. For advertising information or other details, reserve your space at the
BHA website (www.brickellhomeowners.com) or send an email message to Communications Director Natalie Brown at
nbrown@brickellhomeowners.com. Editorial suggestions are also welcome for consideration.
Editor Natalie Brown • Writer/Assistant Editor Josie Gulliksen • Advertising & Member Sales Manager Cindy Bettner
BHA’s mailing address is: P.O. Box 45-2403 • Miami, FL 33245-2403
6
BRICKELL HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION
Meetings with FDOT: necessary, frustrating, ongoing
esidents and business owners who
have heard of plans to close the
left turn from Brickell Avenue to
Southeast Sixth Street are not pleased
with the notion.
FDOT is steadfast in their intent to close
the median, despite the objections raised
by many who live and work in the area.
Residents of 500 Brickell already
have problems with motorists cutting
through their valet area under their
building to make a quick exit from Brickell and head west. For those at 600
Brickell, the proposed median closure at
Southeast Sixth Street looks disastrous.
No one has been successful at influencing this FDOT decision — and no one
has authority over FDOT locally —
despite citizens’ objections and support
from our local officials.
“Our position continues to be that
FDOT has to listen to residents on closing Sixth Street,” Commissioner Marc
Sarnoff said.
FDOT representatives reported in
June, however, that after studying poten-
R
SUMMER 2011
tial alternatives and conferring with their
Central office, the recommendation for
the median remains unchanged. Those
outside of FDOT had not seen the traffic
studies leading to that decision; FDOT
agreed to make the studies public.
Ever since the Brickell Avenue construction project began, Downtown
Development Authority has been facilitating regular meetings with Florida
Department of Transportation, MiamiDade County and City officials and other interested parties to discuss
construction issues. The goal of the
meetings is to bring the different government entities around the table regularly
since the roads have overlapping
authorities. Each agency has their own
construction and rehab projects going
on in the area, but there was no coordinating body.
Stakeholders asked FDOT about the
potential impact to Fifth Street as a result
of the median closure. FDOT said it was
not in their jurisdiction or part of the
project scope to consider or study that,
however, they said they would “consider” the request.
The only concession by FDOT was
that their plan to lengthen the Brickell
median cut in for left turns at Fifth Street
was scrapped. The plan had created a
public uproar as they were planning to
remove a mahogany tree, considered a
Brickell landmark.
For now, commencement of these
Phase II changes is on hold, targeted for
December 2012.
“Clearly differences of opinion
remain, such as the closure of the median onto Sixth Street, that may have to be
resolved by other means,” said Javier
Betancourt, deputy director of the DDA.
“We did get FDOT to agree to provide
their traffic studies to all interested parties, and to continue to work with our
agency in resolving obstacles to the
DDA-funded decorative crosswalks all
along Brickell Avenue.”
BHA will continue to follow the
progress of these projects and report on
the latest developments.
•
7
Welcome New Members
BHA is pleased to welcome two condominiums
as new full members of the Brickell Homeowners Association: 500 Brickell and Brickell
Shores.
The newly built East and West buildings of 500 Brickell
have 320 and 313 units respectively. They are located at 55
SE 5th Street in a modern, joined 42-story building with
rooftop pool and a deck that provides incredible city and bay
views. Juan Carlos Pulido, president of the West building
and Reed Khan, president of the East building, will serve as
BHA board representatives.
Brickell Shores, located at 1440 Brickell Bay Drive has
80 units and is situated directly across from the open Biscayne
Bay along the historic winding road. Board President Enrique
Cordoba is serving as BHA board representative.
BHA welcomes the following new Associate
Members:
Brown & Brown, the largest insurance agency in Florida and one of the largest in the United States, specialize in
solving the insurance and risk management needs of businesses, professionals, non-profit organizations and individuals.
Scott Buser, the firm’s Senior Vice President, is serving as BHA
board representative.
City National Bank recently relocated their Brickell
branch from 1428 Brickell Avenue to the 28th floor at 1450
Brickell Avenue. One of the largest community banks in the
nation, their history in the Brickell area dates back 20 years to
1990 when they first opened in the One Brickell Square building. Greg Mangram, vice president, is serving as BHA Board
representative.
The Continental Group has been a leader in Florida’s
property management industry for more than 20 years. Their
services include community association management, rental
and leasing management, REO asset management, resort
management, developer and accounting services. In addition,
they provide a thorough operations review through the Continental Value Engineering program, the fully integrated infor-
mation web-based customized data hub Continental Connect,
Five-Star Concierge Services and Continental Luxe programs
for luxury properties and the Continental Silver program for
active adults 55 and older. Javier Sardinas, business development manager for the Miami-Dade region, is serving as
BHA board representative.
Engel & Voelkers is a full service residential real estate
firm based on Brickell Bay Drive. Their comprehensive services take the client from the search, to the buy, and straight
through to the closing. Philip Yaffa, the firm’s marketing
director, is serving as BHA board representative.
KW Property Management provides a variety of services to high-rises, condominiums and homeowners associations. They specialize in all aspects of conversion and property
management, renovation management, consulting and real
estate services. Their proficiency with financials, quick troubleshooting and receptive staff enables them to maintain an
asset’s fullest value. Regan Marock, executive director of
business development, is serving as BHA Board representative.
Miami Management, a full service property management and maintenance company established in 1988, features a residential management team with knowledge about
the changing laws, procedures and requirements of Homeowners Associations, Property Owners Associations and Community Associations. In addition, their specialized division for
high-rise condominium associations focuses solely on the
interaction, time management and phase knowledge required
to work with these buildings’ on-site crews. Company President Guillermo Cancio-Bello is serving as BHA Board representative.
Wells Fargo, is an established mortgage company with
additional services including banking, insurance and business banking for all clients’ financial needs. They also provide Directors and Officers Liability Insurance and Business
Liability Insurance, taking a meticulous approach to ensure
customers are covered on any issues they face. Juan Cordoba, commercial executive, is serving as BHA Board representative.
•
FGDGroup
FORTUNE INTERNATIONAL REALTY
1390 BRICKELL AVE. SUITE 104
Condominiums • Homes • Commercial
Real Estate Since 1988
Sales • Leasing • Investments • Management • Exchange
(305) 935-8050
www.fabianhomes.com • realestate@fgdgroup.com
Fabian Garcia-Diaz, GRI, P.A.
Jaime Montalvan • Maggie Morton • Ada Kaplans
8
BRICKELL HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION
Taste of Brickell
First event draws thousands;
next year in the works
he First Annual Taste of Brickell was
a success. Held on March 26 on
the edge of Biscayne Bay at 1201
Brickell Bay Drive, the event drew in
local restaurants and approximately
6,000 attendees. Event organizer Cindy
Bettner said participating restaurants
were thrilled with the results and have
already committed for 2012.
Neighbors from the surrounding
high rises walked from their buildings to
the event that lasted from noon to 10
p.m. Tourists in town, some of who were
attending the Ericsson Open tennis tournament, were there as well.
“There was a great energy at the
event and it provided a great opportunity to come together and socialize,”
Charles Tavares, a resident of Emerald
on Brickell, said. “We need events like
this in Brickell. People were truly enjoying themselves and were happy to be
together.”
T
Expanded event eyed for 2012
Cindy is planning for a two-day
event next year.
“After this year’s event, the participating restaurants asked if it could be
expanded to two days and there were
plenty that approached me who couldn’t
participate this year, but who will sign up
for next year,” Cindy said.
Cindy got her experience in organizing “taste of” festivals when she was
President of the Coconut Grove Chamber of Commerce and put on the popular Taste of the Grove. She received
appeals for a Brickell tasting event when
she began work on a Brickell Dining
guide last year. Restaurants said it was
time Brickell had its own food and wine
event.
“Once I got enough restaurants to
commit, especially the really well known
ones including those in the luxury hotels,
I knew we had an event on our hands,”
she said. Participating restaurants
SUMMER 2011
included Truluck’s, The Boiler House,
Oceanaire, Gordon Biersch, Atrio in the
Conrad Miami, Sushi Maki, Dolores but
you can call me Lolita, Fado Irish Pub &
Restaurant, Morton’s the Steakhouse,
Chophouse Miami, The Trapiche Room
in the JW Marriott, Citadeli Restobar,
Planet Sushi, Bistro Urbano, El Gran
Inka and Crazy About You.
Restaurants give event a “thumbs
up” for business
“It was very well organized, especially for a first-time event. It was perfect for
our neighbors to know about our restaurant in the hotel,” said Alison Colberg,
director of social events for the JW Marriott commenting on the Trapiche Room.
“We sold so much food we had to
replenish. We were very happy with the
turnout and it gave us great exposure.”
With such positive reactions, Cindy
is looking at March 24 and 25 as next
year’s dates, and is scouting a location.
A waterfront location would be ideal like
this year’s, which is owned by Florida
East Coast Realty. Cindy says the location was ideal but that the site might be
developed, so its availability for the festival is uncertain. She says the event will
again be held in the heart of Brickell and
she expects some of the restaurants
Downtown to also join in.
“Next year we will have a beer
crafters tent with tasting, a health and fitness tent featuring nutritional items and
fitness experts discussing yoga and
pilates...even a green market with natural and organic foods,” she said. “We’re
also talking to Miami Dade College’s
new Culinary Institute about perhaps
having the students there doing cooking
demonstrations.”
Taste of Brickell is now accepting
Exhibitor, Sponsor and Restaurant applications. Those interested in participating
should contact Cindy Bettner at 786355-4800 or c_bettner@yahoo.com.
www.tasteofbrickell.com
•
9
Brickell neighbors wowed by Brickell CitiCentre project
he Brickell on the River North meeting room overlooking the Miami
River was filled to capacity one
evening in late June when BHA Board
members and officials came to hear
about Brickell CitiCentre. Several news
articles had recently come out about the
huge, mixed-use project planned for the
Brickell community. Everyone was ready
to catch a first-hand glimpse of what all
the fuss was about.
Folks were anxious to hear how the
nine-acre, multi-level project would be a
positive for the community, and how
such a massive undertaking could be
designed to succeed in our unique metropolitan neighborhood. Some neighbors were wary of the project, having
heard analogies to the humongous Sawgrass Mills, and fearing out-of-control
traffic and inadequate parking for all the
amenities planned.
The BHA Board had invited its creators to share their plan with Directors.
Steve Owens of Swire Properties and
Bernardo Fort-Brescia of Arquitectonica— both big, highly-respected names
in the Brickell community and well
beyond — presented their plans for a
state-of-the-art, modern development,
truly unlike anything ever seen in South
Florida. It’s slated for four blocks around
Miami Avenue and 7th and 8th Streets.
T
saw open air
levels, and
connectivity
across
the
streets. They
saw “towers
floating over
a garden,” as
described by
Mr. Fort-Brescia, and inviting, streetfront stores.
Attendees
heard about
two levels of
underground
parking,
a
daunting and expensive feat of engineering rarely attempted so near the
water, but what sounded like the perfect
solution for the project.
An investment in the future of Brickell
Swire is taking the long view with this
project, making an investment that won’t
pay off for a decade, but one, Mr.
Owens said, the major international
company believes is a wise investment.
“We think the attraction of Miami as
an international city is continuing,” Mr.
Owens said. “We are believers in the
urbanization of Miami. We believe more
people will live in the inner core.”
“We have seen how much energy
has come around since we announced
this project. This is what we can collectively do in the Brickell area,” he said.
Brickell CitiCentre is a mixed-use
development in the true definition. The
major elements are a hotel, retail, service department, cinema, office building,
wellness center and medical center. It
will also have a lap pool with glass bottom open to levels below, a bowling
alley and facilities for musical performances.
Plan for vehicles and traffic
Mr. Fort-Brescia said they engaged
top traffic consultants to be sure that
traffic doesn’t reach Brickell Avenue,
Steve Owens of Swire Properties, Shelly Tygielski of The
Continental Group and Ernesto Cuesta, BHA president, at
the June presentation of the Brickell CitiCentre project.
The audience was wowed by the
images presented and the approach
being taken for the project. They saw
amazing architectural shapes rising out
of the four blocks of the project. They
10
The 4.6 million-square-foot Brickell CitiCentre project will span over South Miami Avenue on the block between S.W. 7th
and S.W. 8th Streets on the west and from S.E. 6 Street to S.E. 8th Street on the east side.
BRICKELL HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION
which is a troubled artery with its limited
east-west access. When drivers depart
from the underground garage, there will
be multiple points of access and exits to
efficiently direct cars to their destinations
above.
The development will be state-of-theart green, and will have rain collectors to
supply the landscaped areas. Bike and
pedestrian paths will connect to 8th Street
and the Miami Riverwalk.
Mr. Owens said key project components critical to retail success are the connectivity and activating the street level.
The project will embrace public transportation. Swire is committed to redoing
the Brickell Metromover station and making it into an inviting public plaza.
Swire Properties began amassing the
land in 2008 after the collapse and nearcollapse of major Wall Street firms and
the continuing real estate meltdown. The
project has been two years in the planning. Mr. Owens said they hope to break
ground and have “meaningful activity on
the site” by the beginning of 2012. Phase
1 construction is expected to take four
years. Phase 2, which encompasses office
space, will follow.
BHA takes a position
BHA passed a resolution in support of
the project with the provision to the City of
Miami that its legal department do its part
to ensure that the impact fees generated
as a result of the project are properly allocated to support infrastructure improvements in the surrounding area.
•
SUMMER 2011
11
BHA Summer Highlights
Lobbyist Travis Moore of Florida Capitol Advocates provides
BHA members with a 2011 Legislative Update.
Whitney Liftig and Ernesto Cuesta
Sean Esteves and Santiago Echemendia
BankAtlantic, sponsors of the BHA Property Managers Morning
Forum: Marta Armas, Maritza Lazarus and Karina Castrillo
12
The Continental Group provides hurricane preparedness program (L to R): Edwin Lugo, Julie Magaldi, Bill Worrall and Moderator Nathalie Rodriguez from WIOD.
William Plasencia from Commissioner Sarnoff’s office, Frank Balzebre from Miami-Dade Mayor
Gimenez’s office, Alyce Robertson of the DDA and Jeve Clayton from Mayor Gimenez’s office at Fado..
Tamy Oman, private party coordinator for Truluck’s, Cesar Garcia-Pons of the DDA, and Tom Vito of
Brickell Catering by Vito.
Richard Gendler and Eric M. Glazer at BHA’s Property Managers Morning Forum in July at Hotel
Urbano and sponsored by BankAtlantic.
BRICKELL HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION
Sleepy summers thing of the past for Brickell
HA has had a full calendar of
events this summer with many
Board members, property managers and neighbors turning out to
learn, network and get involved.
B
Condos
Hurricane
Prep
HA braced
for
the
beginning of summer—and hurricane
season—at its May Board meeting with
a panel from The Continental Group.
They presented “Hurricane Preparedness
for Condos,” especially geared for property managers and board members who
have major responsibilities for their
high-rises. Edwin Lugo, Julie Magaldi,
and Bill Worrall discussed building
preparation, collection considerations,
staff readiness, and what to expect if a
hurricane strikes the Brickell community.
They explained how board members
and managers could best protect their
residents, properties and associations.
WIOD radio’s Nathalie Rodriguez moderated the discussion.
The Continental Group manages
the most properties in Florida, including
many in Brickell and Downtown, and
has extensive experience with luxury high
rises. They have provided hurricane
preparation tips geared for high-rise residents on page 15 in this issue.
B
On the Web:
Latest news,
advisories and
calendar news:
www.brickellhomeowners.com
SUMMER 2011
Florida
Condo
Legislation
in 2011
t the BHA
June Board meeting, lobbyist Travis
Moore of Florida Capitol Advocates
gave Board members an update on
Florida legislative developments impacting condominium associations and owners. The 2011 session’s Community
Associations bill had just been signed by
the governor, and included provisions
involving fire alarm systems, hurricane
glass, electronic notices, board meetings
and board members’ eligibility, terms
and certification. BHA extends its gratitude to the Continental Group for
arranging this timely informative session,
and to Mr. Moore for lending his time.
A
Fado
hosts
BHA
n July Fado Irish Pub and Restaurant
hosted BHA board members, property
managers and residents for a casual
evening of libations and appetizers.
Neighbors enjoyed the informal event in
the tony and comfortable Mary Brickell
Village venue. Fado was new to many,
and liked by all.
“We love to do these kinds of events
because Fado is all about getting to
know our local neighbors,” Event Sales
& Marketing Manager Whitney Liftig,
said. “Brickell Property managers who
missed the BHA gathering are welcome
to contact me to arrange a similar ‘Meet
Your Neighbors’ event for their individual associations.”
BHA extends its thanks to
Whitney and Fado for their
outstanding hospitality. Whitney can be reached at
wliftig@fadoirishpub.com or
786-924-1029.
I
Real
estate
attorneys
share
expertise
ater in July, BHA held its second quarterly Property Management Morning
Forum sponsored by BankAtlantic.
Organized by Marta Armas and BHA’s
Eddy del Rio, the session featured two
attorneys representing both sides of the
condo association/owner coin, both of
whom are highly regarded experts in
their niches.
Richard Gendler, of Richard S.
Gendler & Associates, P.A., specializes in
real estate, foreclosure and bankruptcy
law, representing individuals.
Eric M. Glazer, of Glazer & Associates, specializes in Florida Condominium and Homeowner Association law,
real estate and litigation, and typically
represents the association side. He hosts
a weekly radio show, Condo Craze &
HOAs, on WFTL.
The two attorneys advised managers
on best practices for handling foreclosures and delinquencies among their
condo owners, given what the law says,
how judges tend to rule and what recent
Florida legislation now allows. Foreclosures can take an inordinate amount of
time and resources, so both attorneys
recommended flexibility and reasonableness whenever possible on both
sides. The attorneys said they have seen
foreclosures drag on for as many as six
years before resolution.
BHA extends sincere thanks to Mr.
Gendler and Mr. Glazer, who provided
excellent, helpful information.
The next Property Management
Forum will be held in the fall. Let us hear
topics of particular interest to condo
association managment. Write to BHA
at nbrown@brickellhomeowners.com
L
•
13
14
BRICKELL HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION
Top 10 Hurricane Preparedness Tips for Condo Residents
From The Continental Group
any of us have weathered the
storms as residents of South
Florida, but it has been several
years since we have been hit by a serious hurricane. And here we find ourselves in hurricane season again.
Throughout our over 20-year history, The
Continental Group has helped communities through storms of various strengths
and sizes. The most important piece of
advice we give to our managers and residents alike is: be prepared.
Your building manager and board
should have a Hurricane Preparedness
Plan. This plan should be communicated
to every resident in your building before,
during, and after a storm. It is important
to stay informed and to heed all warnings and recommendations made by the
Board of Directors and management,
who are always taking your safety into
consideration.
While your manager and team will
take care of the preparations associated
with securing the building and common
areas, it is important for you to prepare
your unit and personal provisions. Most
of the things you will need are usually on
hand but should be stocked up and
made easily accessible. If the area is
deemed to be in imminent danger of a
hurricane, announcements will be made,
and should be taken seriously.
Here are some points to consider
before a storm:
M
1. First, get important papers and
special photos in order and
secured in plastic. Identification is
difficult and time-consuming to
replace so be sure to include social
security cards, birth certificates,
titles or deeds to property, as well
as your content insurance or personal hurricane insurance policy.
Photos of special occasions or
loved ones cannot be replaced, so
it is important to include these as
well.
2. Remove all items from your balcony. No matter what category
SUMMER 2011
storm is approaching, loose
items in the balcony pose a hazard for your own unit and for
others.
3. Read and understand all of your
community’s pre-storm, midstorm, and post-storm procedures. Your manager will
communicate the community’s
Hurricane Plan to you. The communication will include information about shelter locations and
hours, evacuation routes and procedures, emergency response information, and municipal Vulnerable
Persons Registry for owners with
special needs.
4. Have a plan for your pets. It may
be difficult to find a place for your
pet to stay. Keep this in mind, and
try to find alternate housing, such
as pet-friendly hotels and motels or
dog boarding kennels in areas outside the storm’s path until it is safe
to return home.
5. Leave behind your contact information. If you plan on evacuating, make sure that the
management office has your contact information and that it is accurate. After the storm has passed,
you may need to be reached concerning your unit or be advised
when it is safe to return to the
building.
6. Prepare a Hurricane Kit. Along
with overnight clothes, consider
stocking your Hurricane Kit with
extra cash, generator, batteries,
flashlights, battery operated
radio/TV, bottled water, toilet paper,
non-perishable foods such as cereal or crackers, canned goods, a
can opener, a small cooler, candles, prescription medicines and
any over-the-counter remedies you
use regularly; and if you have small
children: diapers, baby wipes, formula, baby food.
7. Count on the power being out for
at least a day or two. Even if the
power remains on in your building
or your community has a generator,
remember that ATMs may not be
operating, so have at least some
hard cash in your Hurricane Kit to
see you through the storm.
8. Fill your bathtub with water. In the
event the building’s domestic water
system is not operational, having a
resource to fill toilet water tanks
can be very beneficial.
9. Fill up your gas tank. Gas stations may run out of gas due to
post-storm demand, so fill up
before a storm hits.
10. When in doubt, ask. Your management team members and your
Board of Directors are always
accessible and will ensure that you
are informed before, during and
after a storm. If you have any questions, just ask!
•
The Continental Group manages
the most properties in Florida, including
many condominiums in the Brickell community and Downtown Miami. They handle an array of services including
community association management,
rental and leasing management, REO
asset management, resort management,
developer and accounting services.
15
Brickell resident-activist draws attention, activity to
neighborhood jewel
ll too often Brickell residents walk,
jog, bike or drive by Simpson Park
and wonder “what’s in there?” but
are hesitant or don’t take the time to
investigate. Brickell resident Adriana Tio
and Park Manager Juan Fernandez are
working to change that.
Tio, who moved to Brickell Harbour
three years ago from Coral Gables says
Simpson Park is a beautiful, natural
sanctuary that should be enjoyed more
by the neighborhood.
“All my life I’ve wanted to do a large month on Saturdays. Feedback and sugproject here to show the park’s value gestions from residents are also encourboth historically and botanically, but my aged. “We want to hear from residents
projects were on a much smaller scale in the community about what they would
because of our small, three-person like to see offered at the park,” Tio said.
staff,” Fernandez said. “We had been “Community involvement is key, we want
doing an environmental summer pro- to make this a joint effort where the resgram up until two years ago, but had to idents are involved.”
end that because of too few staff.”
Several community leaders are
Tio and Fernandez are launching an already committed, including attorney
educational initiative which will provide Spencer Crowley, a Brickell resident who
an opportunity for residents “to learn is donating his time and services to help
through educational classes, cap- develop the program. Ernest Burkeen,
ture through paint and photogra- director of City of Miami Parks Departphy, and interact through ment, is supportive of the project, Tio
hands-on workshops with the nat- said.
ural resources of Miami’s oldest
A majority of the programs will take
urban forest,” they said. “Fans of place in the coral house that anchors the
biology, ecology, local history and park, a donation from The Florida Fedart will have a destination for eration of Garden Clubs. The interior
merging environmental, educa- was redone in 2003 and provides a
tional and community interests.”
warm meeting and programming space.
Not one to be quashed by a
For Tio and Hernandez, they hope to
lack of financial resources, Tio is see the beginning of many activities and
Mayor Tomas Regalado with Adriana Tio and Juan Fernandez at the enthusiastic about their program- projects in the future where residents
gathering in May when the new plan was announced.
ming ideas and thinks that others and their children can learn about histo“I’ve always been a big lover of the will be as well. A reception was held at ry, nature and art while learning about
Everglades, but it’s tough to get out the Park in May to announce the con- the botanical gardens of Simpson Park.
there. When I rode my bike and walked cept and begin to gather support. May“Everyday I run into residents who
through the neighborhood, I discovered or Regalado applauded the concept and live as close as four blocks away and
Simpson Park,” Tio said. “But going in saluted Tio and Fernandez in their don’t realize we’re here. This is an effort
there and seeing it empty and underap- efforts.
to create awareness of the gem they’ve
preciated, I knew I had to try to make
Tio is currently recruiting art and got in their backyard,” Tio said.
something happen to change it.”
botanical experts from outside the park
BHA is supporting this project; anyHome to rare and endangered plant for a November planning charrette to one interested in helping should contact
species, the park’s eight-and-a-half discuss concepts for potential classes, nbrown@brickellhomeowners.com
acres contains a remaining piece of educational programs and art
what was once the Brickell Hammock, events geared toward the
that ran from the Miami River all the way local community. It is hoped
to the Grove. Tio sees the leafy sanctu- that specialists, local artists
ary and its community building as the and
photographers
will
ideal venue for educational forums and donate time to the project to
social events.
help get it up and running.
“I thought, here we have this amazTio is hoping to have
ing jewel of a spot…this should be a instructors in place for procommunity gathering place,” she said.
grams that could begin in
Tio met with Juan Fernandez, Parks February 2012. Some prelimiNaturalist Senior with the City of Miami nary ideas include botanical
Parks Department who manages Simp- walking tours, painting, drawson Park. It turns out he likes her ideas a ing, photography, watercolor,
lot, but lacks the budget to make it real- even yoga and other exercise
ity.
classes, perhaps twice a Mayor Tomas Regalado strolls through the lush park with Juan Fernandez.
A
•
16
BRICKELL HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION
BHA Officer Profile
David Lucterhand makes
neighborhood a priority
lthough David Lucterhand just
moved to the Brickell area in
March 2009 he has been a fan of
the neighborhood and Miami in general
since the 1970s when he started vacationing here. Born in Australia, David’s
father was in the Air Force so he grew up
all over the world.
His career took him to Chicago
where he eventually worked as a member of the Chicago Board of Trade.
David then set out for a 15-year stay in
Russia where he met his wife Alsou and
married in 2003. But Miami’s allure lingered, and he jumped at the chance to
move here for business in 2009. He is a
Fund Manager with Market Greater
Capital where his job is to build up the
company’s Barron Index Fund over the
next 10 years.
David always loved South Beach,
even in the 1980s before the Art Deco
District transformation, but Brickell
seemed more his style when it came time
to settle down. He always went through
Miami when traveling to the Caribbean
and it was those times that he spent
looking at neighborhoods that would be
a good fit for him and his lifestyle.
He began looking at Miami properties late in 2008 when the market was
taking a turn. Eight days later he found
just what he was looking for.
“Because I’m a collector of modern
art, The Atlantis building was perfect for
me. The building reminded me of a
Mondrian but I never dreamed I would
ever own anything here,” he said. “But I
fell in love with my unit which had been
completely renovated and has unobstructed views.”
[The Atlantis at 2025 Brickell
Avenue is the post-modernist building
with the unusual hole in the middle.
Designed by Arquitectonica, many know
the building from the opening sequence
of Miami Vice.]
David immediately demonstrated a
A
SUMMER 2011
commitment to his community, serving first as
secretary and currently
entering his second term
as president of his building’s homeowners association. As president of
Atlantis’ board he began
attending BHA meetings
and was recently named
a BHA Member at Large.
Giving back to the
David Lucterhand in front of his condo building The Atlantis.
community and ensuring the Brickell area stays litter-free are two of
his main goals. He hopes to begin an Miami’s nighttime skyline. He’s also the
anti-littering campaign for the city and proud father of two successful sons.
encourage officers to begin ticketing lit- Douglas, an agent with the William
Morris Agency in West Hollywood, Caliterbugs.
An avid biker, David and his wife fornia, and Charles, an executive with
were appalled at what they saw during Groupon in Chicago.
one of their long rides to Key Biscayne.
“We saw trash everywhere in Virginia Key
when on a bike ride
and I spoke to the
rangers out there. I’ve
also asked the maintenance folks at
Atlantis to monitor the
median as well as
their on-site premises.
We’ve already established an adopt-acurb program which I
feel is vital to keeping
the area clean and I
feel should be instituted at all other Brickell
condos.”
WORSHIP
Not surprisingly,
*CHILDCARE PROVIDED
David followed the
1770 Brickell Avenue
Wright Brothers’ interest in bicycles straight
into the air. He flies
single-engine planes
out of Tamiami AirWWW.CROSSBRIDGEMIAMI.COM
port, enjoying the
view over Naples and
•
GRACE
CHANGES·EVERYTHING
| Sundays 6PM
17
Important Community Contacts
The City of Miami NET office is generally residents’ first line of contact in
resolving neighborhood concerns. The
NET office will contact the appropriate
City department on your behalf, if it is a
City of Miami matter, or direct you to
the right resource to resolve your issue.
Coral Way NET & Downtown NET
Administrator Haydee Wheeler
(305) 416-2074
hwheeler@miamigov.com
City of Miami Commissioner
District 2: Marc Sarnoff
(305) 250-5333
msarnoff@miamigov.com
Dist. 35: Senator Gwen Margolis
Tallahassee (850) 487-5121
Miami (305) 571-5777
margolis.gwen.web@flsenate.gov
Miami-Dade County Commissioner
Florida House of Representatives
District 7: Xavier Suarez
(305) 375-5680
District7@miamidade.gov
Miami-Dade County Commissioner
District 5: Bruno Barreiro
(305) 643-8525
District5@miamidade.gov
Miami-Dade Public Schools
City of Miami Police
Resource Officer Jeff Giordano
(305) 710-5222
Jeffrey.Giordano@miami-police.org
Resource Officer Ariel Saud
(305) 491-2645
ariel.saud@miami-police.org
Commander Ethyl Jones
ethyl.jones@miami-police.org
Board-Dist. 3: Dr. Martin Karp
(305) 995-1334
martinkarp@dadeschools.net
Dist. 107: Rep. Luis Garcia, Jr.
Tallahassee (850) 488-9930
Miami (305) 325-2501
luis.garcia@myfloridahouse.gov
U.S. House of Representatives
Dist. 18: Congresswoman
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
D.C. (202) 225-3931
Miami (305) 688-2285
U.S. Senate
Florida Senate
Senator Bill Nelson
D.C. (202) 224-5274
Coral Gables (305) 536-5999
Dist. 39: Sen. Larcenia J. Bullard
Tallahassee (850) 487-5127
Miami (305) 668-7344
bullard.larcenia.web@flsenate.gov
Senator Marco Rubio
D.C. (202) 224-3041
Miami: (305) 418-8553
How BHA Works
ounded in 1990, Brickell Homeowners Association Membership is open to condominium associations and businesses in
the Brickell community. A representative from each of the member condominium associations sits on the BHA Board of Directors which meets monthly.
BHA organizes its Board meetings with speakers of immediate interest to the Brickell community. These forums help to
inform and direct the work of BHA, which is accomplished
through a committee structure and through BHA representation
on important governmental and community groups.
The advocacy work of BHA is carried out by volunteers,
therefore participation of residents is important and desired in
BHA activities and programs. Residents interested in attending a
meeting or becoming involved in other ways are urged to be in
contact with their condominium representative.
To directly communicate with residents, timely topics are covered in this quarterly newsletter, which is distributed to each
household in BHA. This issue is the 60th edition of BHA News.
Information of importance to Brickell neighbors is also covered
on the BHA website, www.brickellhomeowners.com, which contains a comprehensive tracking of topics over time. This serves to
help hold public officials accountable for timetables and promises, and serves an important watchdog function.
If you are interested in learning more about BHA, you are
invited to contact Communications Director Natalie Brown at
nbrown@brickellhomeowners.com.
F
•
18
BRICKELL HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION
SUMMER 2011
19
A professional and independent approach to management
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Our professional team manages approximately 35,000 units throughout the state. These people
range from Certified Public Accountants (CPA), licensed Community Association Managers
(CAM), Certified Manager of Community Associations (CMCA®), Association management Specialist (AMS®), Professional Community Association Managers (PCAM®), Real Property Administrator (RPA®) and certified maintenance personnel. Our corporate office is located in Miami.
We believe a successful customer service experience begins long before that first phone call is
received. We have implemented an unrivaled customer service program that allows us to utilize
two of our strongest tools – our people and technology. This combination provides our clients
with feedback as well as access to information 24 hours a day seven days a week.
KW PROPERTY MANAGEMENT & CONSULTING is a management company and it stops there.
Unlike some of our competitors, we do not have a financial interest or affiliation in any of the
vendors in our network. This is a growing problem in the market place today as many management companies find themselves not independent when making a decision that financially
impacts the association, rather making a decision that is in the best financial interest of their
company.
KW PROPERTY MANAGEMENT & CONSULTING does not want to be the biggest management company, only the best. We want to provide you with the quality service you expect and pay for.
When we are hired, our management team develops a short term transition and long term operational plan, specifically designed to meet your association needs.
Please feel free to contact Regan Marock, LCAM at 305-495-7409 in order to set up a time that
we can meet with you at your community. After meeting, we will be able to send you a comprehensive proposal on how we can best serve your association.