The Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) said yesterday progress has been made with the Condominium Board of Lucayan Towers South, which has complied with the conditions of a 30-day notice by developing and presenting a plan to address matters raised with respect to deteriorating conditions at the property.

"Items of concern have been highlighted and communicated to the board for their immediate attention and response to which GBPA will grant a brief extension," the GBPA said.

"However, the GBPA reiterates that it will not compromise when it comes to the safety of the families that reside at Lucayan Towers South and will continue to take the necessary and required action to ensure they have access to a safe and hazard-free place to live."

The GBPA did not specify how long the extension is.

In a statement July 14, the GBPA's Building and Development Services Department (BDSD) said that it had heard the concerns of the families and residents of the Lucayan Towers South Condominium on Albacore Drive and "have worked with them, and for them, to have several code violations and serious safety hazards addressed by the Condominium Board".

The statement continued, "Unfortunately to this date, these critical items have yet to be remedied and so we have issued a final notice to the board in which they have 30 days to present a tangible plan of action, or we will have no other alternative than to revoke the certificate of occupancy."

The deadline of 30 business days was Friday.

Grand Bahama News obtained a copy of a document titled "Proposed Plan of Structural & Related Works to the Condominium Building", which was emailed on August 9 to a number of Lucayan Towers South condominium owners from the office email account and signed only The Board.

There was no explanatory cover letter or confirmation that the same document was sent to the GBPA, and no names or signatures of any board members including the condominium association president Maurice O. Glinton, a Freeport lawyer.

The proposed plan started by saying that there were constraints on what the board was able to do because of pending legal actions and a lack of money but that the board was submitting a plan in order to comply with the Condominium Act which requires compliance with any "notices or orders issued by any competent authority requiring repairs or work to be done ...."

It went on to say that the board had identified a "readily and reliable funding source" familiar with the work that needs to be done and willing to self-finance at least part of the remedial work which the board estimates will cost up to $3.5 million.

The plan said up to $2 million in cost can be recouped by the sale of condominium units starting with the units against which liens are registered as well as units whose owners have deliberately withheld their maintenance payments.

Describing the scope of work to be done, the board said that in addition to balcony repairs, the repair or replacement of elevators and roof ventilators, the replacement of fire safety systems and equipment, and resurfacing the parking lot, it is also essential that "the body corporate be restored to solvency".

Noting that some of the condominium owners will oppose the way the board intends to raise capital, the document said, "...owners wishing to constitute a board themselves, or have owners who enjoy their confidence do so, should promptly seek a court order to that effect".

The document said that, in the meantime, the unnamed contractor "who is ready to begin the remedial work, is to formalize a scope of work which the board is to present to the BDSD for review and hopefully, its acceptance." and that the contractor represents the one viable funding source for addressing the hazardous conditions in the building.

According to a condominium owner, who wished to remain anonymous, some owners have withheld maintenance payments after a 2019 court order returned control of the condominium association and its finances to Glinton after a series of court actions, and legal action continues.

The post GBPA says progress made with Lucayan Towers South board appeared first on The Nassau Guardian.

The post GBPA says progress made with Lucayan Towers South board appeared first on The Nassau Guardian.

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