Mansions’ planned at Surfside collapse site. Do developers ‘hope people forget’ tragedy?

A Dubai-based developer has unveiled the details of an ultra-luxury project on the Surfside property where a building collapse in 2021 left 98 people dead and shattered a community. In a press release, DAMAC said construction has begun on what it’s calling The Delmore, featuring 37 “mansions in the sky” starting at $15 million apiece, a “meditation garden” and the availability of “residential butlers.” The release makes no mention of the collapse. On Tuesday morning, dozens of top Miami brokers were set to gather in Surfside to learn more about the condo project, which will be one of the most expensive in South Florida. The announcement comes with the launch of a website to promote sales and an estimated completion date of 2029. The flashy launch didn’t sit well with some who were directly affected by the partial collapse of Champlain Towers South on June 24, 2021. Martin Langesfeld, whose sister Nicole and brother-in-law Luis Sadovnic died in the collapse, told the Miami Herald it was “concerning to see this project marketed without acknowledging the collapse that killed 98 people.” Langesfeld said the project shouldn’t begin until a federal investigation into what caused the collapse is finished. “The focus must be on completing the investigation before allowing another development to proceed, while also ensuring a memorial is included to honor those we lost,” he said. Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett, who was in office when the collapse occurred and elected again last year, said he had hoped the developer would find a sensitive way to honor the site’s history in its marketing.

“The challenge for the developer is to be honest and blend their efforts to do whatever they have to do with a deep respect for the history of that site,” Burkett said. “They’ve got a real opportunity to see the reality that’s right in front of them and take it head on and deal with it.”

Read more at: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article299264104.html#storylink=cpy