Nearly four years after the Crestview Towers condominium on North Miami Beach was evacuated after the building was deemed unsafe, residents are being told it is safe to return.
After years of structural and electrical repairs and inspections, the city announced that as of Friday, March 25, all required repairs, permits and inspections had been successfully completed and the building was cleared for re-occupancy
“This milestone is a testament to the dedication of our community and the collaborative efforts of our city departments, regulatory agencies, and local leaders,” North Miami Beach Mayor Michael Joseph, Esq. said in a statement.
Joseph added that changes need to be made moving forward.
“We must now push for new laws that streamline safety procedures and re-occupancy timelines, ensuring quicker responses in the future while keeping our community safe and secure,” he said.
Residents ordered to leave
In July 2021, an evacuation was ordered for Crestview Towers, at 2025 NE 164th Street, after a structural recertification report deemed the building unsafe.
Residents who needed to retrieve their belongings were forced to schedule appointments with the condo association because only a certain number of people were allowed in the building at one time. This led to frustration and anger for some who said their calls went unanswered and email responses were sparse.
At the time, the displaced residents also raised concerns about the lack of information coming from the association board and the city on the repairs and the timeline as to when the work would be finished. They said temporary housing was a burden for them since they still had to pay an assessment and maintenance fee that added up to $900 a month, plus their mortgage.
On Sept. 9, 2021, an attorney for the condo association issued a statement which said, in part, “We fully expect that the work necessary to safely reopen the building will be completed by the end of September 2021.”
Needless to say, that timeline was not met.
Over the ensuing years, a number of city departments worked with regulatory agencies and the condominium association to restore the property to habitable standards.
“The well-being of our residents remained our top priority throughout this process as we worked hand and hand with everyone involved,” North Miami Beach building official Daniel Ozuna said in a statement.
Residents may now return to their homes. Ozuna said only one unit remains restricted due to damage unrelated to structural integrity and will be addressed separately.
