Built in 1986, Southview Condominium was one of the first residential projects to grace the City of Aventura as it started to expand beyond West Country Club Drive. It is renowned for its large lot with fewer units per acre than most Aventura condominiums, and is bordered to the east by the Intracoastal Waterway and a nature preserve to the south. Its acreage and beautifully landscaped atria contribute to its park-like setting. Of course, maintaining a picture- perfect community takes a lot of work, and in most cases, foresight.
When Southview’s Board of Directors and management realized the city was in the midst of a rebounding economy in 2012, they decided to strike while the iron was hot. Jobless claims were waning, Southview’s delinquency rates were declining but the construction industry was still lagging. The board realized that as demand for construction services rose, so would prices. There was never a better time to maintain and improve Southview’s property values, especially in the wake of a recovering real estate market.
“We took advantage of the fact that our residents were doing better financially and we could get really good pricing on projects we really needed to get done,” said Dr. Janie Greenleaf, President of the Board of Directors of Southview Condominium.
An aging parking lot that suffered from water accumulation needed to be repaved and loose railings and cracking and crumbling concrete affecting the community’s catwalks had to be repaired. Additionally, the decision was also made to renovate the pool deck, freshen up the property’s landscaping and install costsaving LED lighting throughout the community.
An aggressive process that included bid solicitation and tough negotiations was undertaken by the community to get the very best pricing. The renovations that Southview needed were attained at a cost that was 42% lower than what it would have been in 2008, and the association was able to save 10% to 15% per contract.
“With the help of The Continental Group, and, more specifically our manager Denis Rudnev, we were able to zero in on the exact specs necessary to complete the projects before bidding them out to contractors,” said Greenleaf.
When the remodel is complete, Southview’s future as one of Aventura’s anchor communities on the Intracoastal Waterway is a bright one. “We are a very unique community and we want to continue to shine, improve and be a desirable place to live,” said Greenleaf.
Southview Condominium is managed by The Continental Group. For more information on TCG’s property management services, call 954-925-8200 or visit www.tcgmgt.com.
