“Mystery” vehicles come and go, especially at weekends. In recent weeks, one resident had a $3,000 computer stolen from her car, and another had her tires slashed.
By Gail Graham
Columnist
Safety Concerns at the Intracoastal Yacht Club
Many of the residents at Sunny Isles’s biggest rental community, the Intracoastal Yacht Club, are
dismayed at what seems to be a continuing lack of interest in safety and security issues in the three-tower complex.
So-called “Smart Passes” which allow automatic access to garages and boom gates are often non-functional. And the Courtesy Officers (rather than Security Guards) who
man the gates are only too willing to make exceptions to the rules, as a leaked memo from Security Major Domo Juan Carlos Martinez makes clear. The memo says, “I have noticed that there
are a lot of residents that use the Smart Pass lane without having the
actual Smart Pass device.” The question is, how does Martinez, or anyone else, know that these people are actually
residents?
Bona fide residents are particularly concerned about security in the garages, which are poorly lit and neither patrolled nor under any other type of
surveillance. “Mystery” vehicles come and go, especially at weekends. In recent weeks, one resident had a $3,000 computer stolen from her car, and another had her tires slashed. But the
real concern is that once an intruder has gained access to the garage, he or she is able to move at will through any of the three buildings. And up on the 23rd floor, who’s
going to hear you scream?
Special “fobs” were issued to residents last year to restrict access to the gym and pool areas on the 5th level of the complex, but some of these security
devices were never activated, and now, they’ve all been disconnected. This is annoying, especially as there's a $75 charge if you lose one of these useless bits of plastic.
Far more annoying is the fact that the two gates that were intended to offer pedestrians access to the property have now been chained shut and padlocked. This means
that residents who wish to leave or enter the property on foot must dodge the traffic in the driveway in order to do so, a situation that is both unsatisfactory and unsafe. Although it’s
been explained that these gates have been closed for “security reasons,” it is patently obvious that any ten-year-old could easily vault the adjacent walls. Or paddle across Dumbfoundling
Bay and simply walk in through the unfenced, unguarded and un-patrolled stands of mangroves on either side of the property.
These are legitimate concerns. Sunny Isles Beach may only be three blocks wide, but there seems to be more than enough crime to keep the local police busy. In December
2002, there were 42 misdemeanor arrests, 11 warrant arrests and 11 felony arrests, and the Detective Bureau investigated 49 cases. So it’s understandable that tenants paying upwards of
$1,500 per month are not particularly happy with the current situation.
Unless things change, look for lots of vacancies and fantastic rental deals at Intracoastal in coming months.
Cool and Clever
Northerners who flock to Southern Florida are called snowbirds. But what do you call the South Florida residents who go north each year to escape
Florida’s summer heat and humidity? A niche market – and one that’s being targeted by Senior Summer School.
Nearly a hundred people gathered at the Aventura Marriot Residences last week to attend a Senior Summer School Seminar and hear about these new educational holidays
that are being marketed exclusively to heat-aversive residents of Florida and Arizona. There were three kinds of muffins, but no coffee. “It’s a hotel,” expostulated one client. “In a
hotel, you’d think they'd have coffee.”
“Usually, we don’t have anything,” Caroline Cohen told me. “But this time, someone went out and got muffins, so now they want coffee.” Caroline runs a program at the
University of Judaism in Los Angeles. Her organization is offering four, one-week courses on topics like Holy War and Jihads, Evil in God’s World, Funny You Don’t Look
Jewish (all about “crypto-Jews” and “lost” Jewish communities) and Torah Characters:
Classical Heroes or Flawed Personalities? Students who attend Caroline’s sessions are
accommodated at the University’s Bel Air campus, and have the opportunity to enjoy excursions to the Nixon Library, Getty Center, Wiesenthal Museum and Stephen S. Wise Temple, and there
are special Shabat meals and services each week. And, of course, there are also the up-market pleasures of Rodeo Drive and Beverly Hills just down the road.
Other courses are held in
Greensburg, Pennsylvania, New Brunswick, Canada, Madison, Wisconsin, Boone, North Carolina and other California locations including San Diego, La Jolla, Santa Barbara and San Francisco.
The subjects offered run the gamut from Psychology, History and Religion to Tai Chi, Aerobics and Wine Appreciation. All of the courses are taught by university instructors, professors and
professionals, but hey! This is
fun, not work. There are no examinations and class attendance is not required. (Although why would anyone choose this kind of holiday and then not go to
the classes?) There are usually equal numbers of couples and singles, so there’s something for everyone.
If you missed the Aventura seminar, don’t despair. Additional information meetings are being held throughout the month of March at Delray Beach, Hollywood, West Palm
Beach and Boca Raton. The cost of a two-week course (including room and board) ranges from $1,499 to $2,500, depending upon destination and level of accommodation. For more information,
contact Senior Summer School at 800-847-2466. Or check out
their website at www.seniorsummerschool.com.
You’re Invited. Yes, You
Aventura is having a party, and
everyone’s invited. The occasion is the Dedication and Grand Opening of the Aventura Community/Recreation Center on Saturday, February 23, starting with a Dedication Ceremony at 11:30 a.m.
followed by light refreshments and an Open House and Registration.
The new Center plans to offer a wide range of activities and classes, including programs for toddlers, children, teenagers, adults and seniors as well as a range of
health and fitness activities, classes, computer education and lectures. Classes are open to all members, and membership is available to all Miami-Dade County residents. You’ll be able to
register at the Open House on Saturday, and once you’re registered, you can sign up for anything that takes your fancy.
The Aventura Community/Recreation Center is situated at 3375 N.E. 188th Street. Get there by turning off Biscayne Blvd at N.E. 187th Street and
traveling east. You can park in the east lot of Loehmann’s Fashion Island.
On Saturday, courtesy shuttles will be operating from Loehmann’s Fashion Island between 9:45 a.m. and 5 p.m. So get out there and join the party.
Contact me at gailgraham1@juno.com.
