Page 4 - CooperatorNewsSouth FLorida 2021

Events
The CooperatorEvents Expo Returns
to South Florida this Fall!
fl-expo.com
CooperatorEvents is thrilled to
announce the return of our in-person
Expos! This fall, the CooperatorEvents
South Florida Expo will take place at the
Broward County Convention Center on
Thursday, December 9, 2021, from 10:00
a.m. to 4:00 p.m. We have an exciting
lineup of exhibitors eager to interact in
person, covering every aspect of multi-
family living, from board governance,
financial planning, and community
engagement to roof repair, energy man-
agement, and lawncare. Like our past
in-person Expos, the CooperatorEvents
South Florida Expo 2021 will include a
full day of free workshops, seminars,
networking, and more. And as always,
registration and attendance are FREE to
all! Visit www.fl-expo.com to see who’s
exhibiting, get more information, and
register as an exhibitor or an attendee.
This will be a must-attend event for all
condo, co-op, and HOA board mem-
bers, property managers, residents, and
real estate professionals in the Sunshine
State! We look forward to seeing you
there in person!
Law & Legislation
New Building Codes Took Effect on Jan. 1
State law requires the Florida Building
Commission to update the Florida Build-
ing Code every three years. The Code es-
tablishes standards for design, construc-
tion, and compliance processes, as well
as regulations for the safety, health, and
general welfare of building occupants.
According to an article by Berger
Singerman LLP on legal web journal Lex-
ology.com, the 2020 Code update, which
went into effect on January 1, 2021, in-
volved at least 33 technical advisory com-
mittee meetings, over 1,200 proposed
code modifications, and approximately
352 public comments.
Some notable changes to this seventh
edition of the Code include new roofing
requirements, wind load criteria, and en-
ergy conservation volumes.
For both new construction and roof
replacements, there are new codes that
seek to improve resistance to wind
damage and water infiltration, such as
changes to roofing underlayment (sealed
roof deck) and wind loads on roofs. The
wind criteria have been updated to cor-
relate with ASCE 7-16 (Minimum De-
sign Loads and Associated Criteria for
Buildings and Other Structures), which
includes a new Risk Category IV wind
speed map; a new wind load criteria for
rooftop solar panels; revised (higher) de-
sign wind pressures on roofs of buildings
with mean roof height ≤ 60 feet; and new
wind load criteria for attached canopies.
Residential buildings are subject to
a new electric resistance space heat-
ing prohibition for prescriptive projects
in Climate Zone 2; updated minimum
equipment efficiencies; a new whole-
house mechanical ventilation minimum
fan efficacy stipulation for heat recovery
ventilations or energy recovery ventila-
tions; modified mechanical ventilation
vent fan energy use standard reference
design specification for performance
compliance; an increased lighting effi-
cacy requirement; a blower door testing
requirement clarification for certain per-
formance projects; a performance com-
pliance duct testing exception change
that clarifies ducts must be tested if there
is an air leakage of less than the default;
new dehumidifier provisions and dehu-
midifier performance compliance speci-
fications (if the proposed project has a
dehumidifier); and revised service water
heating performance compliance specifi-
cations.
Commercial building code changes
include removal of the automatic re-
ceptacle control requirement for energy
standard for buildings except low-rise
residential buildings compliance; a new
building card key control requirement
for hotels, motels, and boarding houses
updated equipment minimum efficiency
tables; and extensive revision and reorga-
nization of indoor and exterior lighting
devices and controls sections.
The law firm notes that the Florida
Building Code serves as a crucial tool
during the insurance claims process, as it
governs a property owner’s obligations to
meet minimum threshold requirements
and impacts an insurance company’s du-
ties to issue payment for increased costs
associated with code compliance in the
event a property is damaged by a covered
peril. Property owners are advised that
the Florida Building Code functions as a
roadmap for the repair or reconstruction
of a property and that there are insurance
coverages available in the event a prop-
erty owner is required to incur costs to
bring the property up to the constantly
evolving code.
As the firm reports, the Code devel-
opment process for the eighth Edition
(2023) Florida Building Code is already
underway.
Property Management
KWPMC Adds 3 Client Communities
In a press release on Multifamilybiz.
com, KW Property Management & Con-
sulting (KWPMC) announces that it has
added three new client communities to
its portfolio. Located in Miami Beach,
Key Biscayne, and Port St. Lucie, the con-
dominium and HOA communities total
nearly 1,500 units now under KWPMC’s
management.
In Miami Beach’s North Beach neigh-
borhood, KWPMC is now overseeing
the Sterling Condominium, an 184-unit
condo building at 6767 Collins Ave. con-
structed in 1991.
According to the release, the firm also
took over management of the 1,179-unit
Key Colony Homeowners Association at
235 Crandon Blvd. in Key Biscayne. The
luxurious four-condominium Key Colo-
ny community spans 40 beachfront acres
with numerous resort-style amenities
including a private beach, tennis courts,
and Olympic-size swimming pools.
The firm’s first in Port St. Lucie, the
luxury Tesoro HOA hired KWPMC to
manage its community at 2000 SE Via
Tesoro. As of the date of the press release,
107 custom homes have been built at Tes-
oro, with some 800 more planned.
“These prestigious new assignments
are an exciting way to close out what has
been a successful year amid unprecedent-
ed challenges,” says KWPMC Managing
Director and Co-Founder Paul Kaplan.
“Our team looks forward to enhancing
the lives of the many residents at Sterling
Condominium, Key Colony HOA, and
Tesoro.”
FirstService Residential Gets
Management Contract for The Icon
Yahoo! Finance
reports that property
management company FirstService Resi-
dential has been awarded the contract to
provide property management services
to The Icon, a 40-story luxury condo-
minium in Miami Beach.
Famed South Florida developer
Jorge Perez partnered with ‘starchi-
tect’ Philippe Starck to build the tower,
completed in 2005, in the tony South of
Fifth Street district, adjacent to the Mi-
ami Beach Marina. The condo has 281
units with “the most high-end features
imaginable,” according to the company’s
press release, including walk-in closets,
European cabinetry, 9-foot-high ceilings,
expansive terraces; state-of-the-art kitch-
ens, and elegant bathrooms with marble
throughout.
Amenities at The Icon include a ful-
ly equipped fitness center and spa; two
swimming pools; a library; a billiards
room; and event rooms suited for busi-
ness, entertainment, and recreation. Ser-
vices include round-the-clock security
and receptionists, concierge services, va-
let parking, and dry cleaning.
“We look forward to a long and satis-
fying relationship with FirstService Resi-
dential,” says John Stimmel, president of
The Icon’s board of directors.
“We are excited and honored to again
serve the residents and board members
of the Icon,” says Chris Hevia, vice presi-
dent, South Florida High Rise, FirstSer-
vice Residential. “We look forward to
providing the exceptional service and
management solutions that will continue
to elevate the service standards and resi-
dent lifestyles.”
Trends
Buyers More Heavily Scrutinize
Condos After Surfside
Mansion Global
reports that one of the
many consequences of the collapse of the
Champlain Towers South Condominium
in Surfside has been a higher level of
scrutiny paid by condo-seekers before
making a purchase. According to the
outlet, buyers are paying more attention
to construction processes, maintenance
histories, and reserve practices of asso-
ciations than ever before.
Developer Ronnie Krongold made a
fortune buying and selling hundreds of
Midtown Miami condo units and is now
developing a 16-unit luxury residential
building 160 Marina Bay in Fort Lauder-
dale with his company Gold Krown. He
tells
Mansion
that “[People] buying into
buildings of maybe 10 stories or more are
concerned now about construction qual-
ity—especially in Southeast Florida—be-
cause most of us know someone touched
by the tragedy. Before the collapse, peo-
ple just assumed any building was safe
because Miami isn’t a third world coun-
try. They never thought they needed to
ask about reports of trouble.”
Florida statutes currently require that
buildings seek recertification for electri-
cal and structural safety every 40 years.
Champlain Towers South was due for its
recertification when the building fell this
summer, notes
Mansion;
reports differ as
to how far along the condos were in the
overall inspection process at the time of
the disaster.
Krongold expects that buyers, real es-
tate attorneys, and inspectors will now be
more aggressive and proactive in seeking
the important facts, including acquir-
ing a copy of the 40-year certifications.
“If buying from a reseller,” he says, “you
Industry Pulse
continued on page 11
4 COOPERATORNEWS SOUTH FLORIDA
—FALL 2021
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PULSE