Aquarius will have the Gym back in January of 2017

Posted on November 17, 2016 by Cecilio Augusto Berndsen

AQUARIUS-3D logoAquarius will have the Gym back in January of 2017

 

All those that use the Aquarius Gym have only a temporary Gym installed in the Alcove near the Library. There a bare skeleton of what is our Gym offers a few exercise machines. The reason is the full remodeling of the Gym Bathroom and Spa project.

The target date now is January of 2017. A few PVC pipes found by the Inspector of the City of Hollywood have to be removed. These pipes that were under the floor of the Men’s and the Ladies facilities were revealed when new drains were installed. This constitutes a fire hazard and iron pipes need to be installed. Also a few details of the electrical installation require repair. Some very old repairs were performed without much attention to the Building Code.

Now when the Gym reopens we will have not only a aesthetically attractive bathrooms and spas as we will have safe Code complainant  that could be used without leaks and accidents for many years to come. The sacrifice and the cost will pay out.

Check the revised schedule recently presented by the General Contractor T & T. Bellow a  series of recent pictures of the work in progress at the Gym/

2016-11-16gym-bath-scheduleClick any picture to start a slides show of the work under way in the Aquarius Gym.

 

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Regarding the Aquarius Washing Machines Proceeds Collections

Posted on November 9, 2016 by Cecilio Augusto Berndsen

LOGO BLUERegarding the Aquarius Washing Machines Proceeds Collections

 

The Board of Directors of the Aquarius Condominium Association would like to make clear that:

  1. Linda Satz, Director Secretary of the Board has collected the coins from the Aquarius washing machines and dryers since January 2015. In this period the Board had 3 Presidents: Messrs. John Yousef, Ilya Gonorovsky and Buck Gupta. She is the only person authorized to perform these collections.
  1. Ms. Satz has done, among many other tasks, this job dutifully. She also makes the regular and timely deposits in the Association Bank Account.
  1. At this point the actual Board would like to renew our total trust and confidence in Ms. Satz and thank her for her dedication, hard work and devotion for a better Aquarius Condominium.

 

Hollywood, November 2016.

Bhagwan (Buck) Gupta
Cecílio Augusto Berndsen
Victor Rocha
Judith Ort

.o0o.

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Aquarius Notice of Reconvening Special Membership Meeting

Posted on November 7, 2016 by Cecilio Augusto Berndsen

2016-11-07-second-meet-sprinklers

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Candid Discussion on 2017 Aquarius Construction Plans

Posted on November 6, 2016 by Cecilio Augusto Berndsen

Logo blue girlCandid Discussion on 2017 Aquarius Construction Plans

In the end of the month of October 2016 the following point and counterpoint occurred. It may be of informative value for the Aquarius Community to read it. Additional comments are welcome. Only with open, well intended dialog can the community advance on his desires and aspirations.

Gentlemen,

 

In all recently published documents (mostly, architectural) the assumption is that the existing deck will be so expensive to fix that it opens the door to consider various options for changes.

And then, it all focuses on the option selection, even voting. Nice exercise.

But the basic assumption – fixing what exists – needs to be well specified and realistically priced.  Only then owners may consider improvements and what we would additionally pay  for each.   And only then vote and select!

Best

Sam

Samson Schmuter, Chairman of the Aquarius Information and Technology Committee

Dear Sam

Thank you for your note.

I believe this is exactly what the present Board is doing. We hire the best Engineering firm we could find –out of a pool of six and after publicizing our plans for Re Certification of the Building. Their work is being followed up pari passu. We have meetings with them and  they have participated and provided progress reports at  open meetings in the Construction Committee every Thursday at 10 AM.

More than a ton of mortar and concrete, that was dangerously hanging, was removed during the inspections of the East Deck/East side of the Garage and of the 130+ balconies inspected. Six concrete core tests were performed and another round of  20 concrete core tests are being done right now.

We have asked for proposal from 6 reputable Concrete Restoration firms. We expect the proposals to be presented mid November. The bid is open – the Board will be happy to consider firms that can meet the bond and insurance requirements. The proposal contemplate full replacement of the balconies or just repair. The Deck has been considered beyond repair and the decision of full replacement has been made. Only the beans and pillars will remain and repaired. With this we will have a East Deck able to –properly maintained and periodically waterproofed — for another 40 years. This will also allow to change the pool site. The pool relocation is going to be less expensive and with longer life than partial repair of pool concrete in a patch work that can not afford warranty and the peace of mind that we all desire for Aquarius.

Everything is being done with two major objectives: Low cost and shorter construction time. But we can not afford endless patch work that results in more aggravation, less safety, increased inconvenience and in the end abusive uncontrollable cost.

I believe the experience we had with the Valet Deck – although it could had been done in better ways – resulted in a work of 7 months the promised time and under the contracted cost. The idea is the same to have a single vendor (General Contractor in the process of selection as mentioned before) and the supervision of an Technical Supervision and Project Management — Hillman Engineering. Both of them under the permanent follow up of the Board of Directors, the Construction Committee and the Property Management Atlantic|Pacific firm.

Not only are we trying to rely in professional guidance all the time as we try to keep cost minimization and quality maximization as permanent guides. Every step is being taken to maintain competitive selection of the best help we can get without a retail piecemeal  procedures that have brought some much frustration, hesitation and little results from the investments made. The BOD, the Construction Committee has no licensed active GC’s registration. The BOD, the Construction Committee is a group of volunteers that prefers perform the role of policy making, good governance, participation with parallel agile decision making. Your participation is welcome.

I look forward to see you in December. There is much work to be done and all help is much needed.

Cecilio Augusto Berndsen, Board of Directors of the Aquarius Condominium Association

Thank you Cecilio,

It is the first reasonable reply to my questions and doubts, with explanation of the process and its progress from the various aspects.   Thank you again.

The previous answers were just referring to majority of votes and blaming “naysayers”.  Nothing to explain, just go to hell!

Keep up the good job!

Sam

Samson Schmuter, Chairman of the Aquarius Information and Technology Committee

.o0o.

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Best Place to Retire in the Southeast: Hollywood, Fl

Posted on November 5, 2016 by Cecilio Augusto Berndsen

Best Place to Retire in the Southeast: Hollywood, Fl

From MONEY MAGAZINE, November 2016, additional “Best Places” click HERE

AT A GLANCE (POP. 147,472)
Population over age 55 32%
Median home price $198,000
Average property tax $3,995
Top income tax rate 0%

In the 1920s developer Joseph Young arrived in Florida with a vision of turning the pine forests and marshland 20 miles north of Miami into a “dream city,” with wide boulevards, grand hotels, and a promenade stretching along the Atlantic Ocean.

hollywood-welcomeA devastating hurricane and the Great Depression were major setbacks for Young, who died in 1934, but the foundation was laid for the place he called Hollywood. Between 1955 and 1975, the population grew from 23,000 to more than 120,000. Mid-century beach bungalows and ocean-view condos from that era continue to attract new buyers.

“It’s the location, the style, the lifestyle, the beach, the architecture— all contribute to Hollywood’s appeal,” says Lloyd Feinberg, a real estate agent and lifelong local resident.

Hollywood, Fl: Why It Wins

One word—“affordability.” Relative to other seaside towns, Hollywood’s home prices seem like a throwback: Think spacious one-bedroom condos and single-story homes for less than $200,000, compared with the Miami Beach median of $360,000. Florida levies no income or estate tax, and offers a homestead exemption of up to $50,000.

In November, Herb Schloss, 76, bought a 2,000-square-foot condo overlooking a golf course and relocated from New Jersey, in part to be closer to his significant other, Roberta, and his daughter.

“What I’m saving on taxes practically pays for the condo,” says Schloss, who was chief financial officer of a beverage distribution company. No kidding. The top income tax rate in the Garden State is a whopping 8.97%.

What else is great: 

Retirees looking for culture will find it in spades, whether at events in ArtsPark at Young Circle or along the 2.-mile-long Hollywood Boardwalk. At the city’s northern end, the 1,500-acre Anne Kolb Nature Center is a popular sanctuary. Many of the spots are accessible via water taxi or the Hollywood Trolley.

While there is plenty to do in Hollywood, its location between Fort Lauderdale and Miami is a boon for retirees looking to explore the area—or get away. Port Everglades is one of the busiest cruise ports in the world, and the Miami and Fort Lauderdale airports are nearby.

The Downside:

Life at the beach comes with the risk of hurricanes—and at the very least, higher-than-average premiums for homeowners insurance.

.o0o.

 

 

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Letter from the President of the Board

Posted on October 30, 2016 by Cecilio Augusto Berndsen

AQUARIUS-3D logoLetter from the President of the Board of Directors of Aquarius Condominium Association

Reactions to this letter at the bottom of this post. Scroll down, please.


Date: 10/30/2016

Dear fellow unit owners!

I was hoping that by now, all the information, provided at the weekly construction meetings, held in the Cascade Room and also the monthly Board meetings held since May, have identified the challenges we are facing in meeting the 40-years-certification-requirements.

However, a number of unit owners who do not attend these meetings and therefore, do not participate in any meaningful discussion or want to acknowledge facts, continue to beat the old drum of not being convinced that all the repairs are necessary to make our buildings safe and stop further deterioration.

Whether we agree or not, it is time to face the facts that all the work required to be completed, such as: balconies repairs/replacements, swimming pool and deck replacement, electrical lighting to meet the turtle code requirements, aluminum balconies railings replacement, and exterior painting are some of the big-ticket items that must be completed to continue meeting the code requirements.

No amount of signed petitions or raising objections can prevent the necessary work to be under taken and completed, prior to any citation issued by the City of Hollywood.

In addition to that, currently all the buildings in this area, reaching the 40 years of age, similar to the Aquarius, are having to go through major concrete restoration.

In short, we have let our building fall into disrepair, whereby, the time has come to pay the piper. Since we have no reserves to pay for any major repairs, we are facing a large sum of special assessment to be passed at this time.
This Board must protect the Association’s assets and fulfill its fiduciary responsibilities no matter how unpleasant the task may be by passing a comprehensive special assessment at this time.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, as looked upon by some, but we have to face reality and move on with the task on hand.

Looking forward for your understanding, support and cooperation.

 

Bhagwan “Buck” Gupta,

President of the Board of Directors of Aquarius Condominium Association

__________________________________________________________

Dear Mr, Gupta,

Bravo,  Bravo, Thank You  !!!!!
This letter was much overdue and I suggest, if people forget, you should please  remind them again. We thank you and the members of the Board for all your effort to bring the building up to  code.

Mike Alpert,  Apt 1805 South      and    Eugenia  Rosen,  Apt 1105 South 

Excellent letter ! We are so fortunate to have you on the board. We need you. We have lived here so long with a horrible mess. It is wonderful to see that the present board is working so diligently in bringing our building up to code as well as to enhance it’s beauty. Remember, this board inherited other people lack of “not doing’ .

Life is a “Journey” and our journey is to bring the Aquarius up to code and beyond. Put on your “Big Panties” and deal with what we have to endear. We have lived in a mess for several years with minimal success. A couple of years with dust and dirt will be tolerated because we will have something to show upon completion.

Let’s work towards accomplishing our goals and let’s appreciate what our Board is doing. We have seen enough negativity between Trump and Clinton. We don’t need to relive it at the Aquarius.

Wendy Miller,  Apt. 805 South

.o0o.

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Once upon a time in Hollywood, California

Posted on October 28, 2016 by Cecilio Augusto Berndsen

 LOGO LADYOnce upon a time in Hollywood, California

 

Once upon a time in Hollywood, California they use to make movies with less guns, violence and explosions. Here is a sample. A remarkable sample that got 25 million views in YouTube.

Uptown Funk,  Bruno Mars sings

Authentic comment:

Annie Smith 1 month ago
I have watched this at least a couple of dozen times..especially when I need a pick me up!! Brilliant mashup!!
.o0o.o0o.

 

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The Third Round of East Deck Rejuvenation Discussions

Posted on October 27, 2016 by Cecilio Augusto Berndsen

Logo blue girlThe Third Round of East Deck Rejuvenation Discussions

 

This is the third time the Aquarius Construction Committee, some Members of the Board and a good number owners get together to discuss with the Landscape Architect Thomas Laubenthal ideas to improve the East Deck after the 40 Year Re Certification mandate concrete renewal takes place.

There are two documents for your information

 

What happens when the plans are finalized? They go to the appreciation of the entire membership. Make sure your input is included.

“On the Internet, nobody knows you’re a dog.” (Conde Nast TagID: cncartoons005912.jpg) [Photo via Conde Nast]

.o0o.

Posted in Construction & 50 & 40 Year Recertifications, Pictures | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Aquarius will have additional Concrete Core Tests

Posted on October 27, 2016 by Cecilio Augusto Berndsen

LOGO SILHOUETTE

Aquarius will have additional Concrete Core Tests

 

In August and September of 2016 “Florida Engineering & Testing, Inc.” conducted  concrete core tests in 6 balconies of Aquarius. This is part of the 40 Year Re Certification program exercise that Hillman Engineering has been hired to perform. The results of Hillman work will determine the plans Aquarius need to develop to get the 40 Re Certification.

The results of the concrete core test can be seen here (click here please). The desired compression resistance of the concrete as per Florida code, should not be less than 4000 psi (pounds per square inch). Compression resistance under this represents unsafe concrete that requires immediate restoration.

As the letter of “Florida Engineering & Testing, Inc.” shows 5 out 6 cores tested are well bellow this benchmark.

The Board of Directors of Aquarius under the advice of Hillman decided to expand the sample for additional 20 concrete core tests. With these results we will have about 10% of all balconies of the property tested corner and internal balconies chosen random/aleatory.

The letter proposal from RAS Engineering, PA, that was already accepted by Buck Gupta, BOD President can be seen here (click here please). The cost is under $ 13.000,00 and includes Acid Cloride Soluble contents besides the compression.   The test results are expected in less than a couple of weeks.

RAS Engineering will collect the samples, take the samples to the lab and test them in a total independent way without the intervention of any other entity to guarantee independence, reliability, integrity of the chain of custody.

.o0o.

 

 

 

 

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The Hiring of Hillman Construction for Aquarius 40 Year Re-Certification

Posted on October 26, 2016 by Cecilio Augusto Berndsen

AQUARIUS-3D logo

The Hiring of Hillman Construction

 

Mr. Mark Farber called me  and asked to post reviews of Hillman Construction on the blog. He had submitted this content a few days ago. It was posted when submitted. The comment can be seen HERE  and bellow this brief introduction.  It is not a good practice to double post the same material. An exception is going to be made to Mr. Farber at this time. The second post of Better Business Bureau and Angies List transcription are at the bottom of this post.

Before it would be good to present some facts and reviews that may not be fresh in the minds of many Aquarius residents.

In April and May of 2016 The Board of Directors organized  a couple of presentations with six engineering firms. The purpose was to select a reputable firm of engineering that would conduct the Broward County law mandated 40 year Re Certification exercise. The work of the to be selected firm would be: 1) Conduct  the evaluation of the areas of building in need of repair to pass the 40 Year Re Cert.  requirements, 2) Prepare cost estimates of these repairs, 3) Conduct a competitive process to select a General Contractor responsible for the execution of these repairs and 4) Supervise in technical terms and manage the project in managerial terms up to its conclusion a final full compliance with the law.

In April and May of 2016 six firms came to the Cascade Room and gave their presentations. The firms were:

  1. United Architects, Coral Gables
  2. M2E Consulting Engineers, Miami
  3. Swaysland Professional Engineering Consultants, Fort Lauderdale
  4. S & D Engineering and Construction, Margate
  5. Paramount Consulting and Engineering, Miami
  6. Hillman Engineering, Fort Lauderdale

After detailed examination the contract was awarded to Hillman Engineering. All candidates have excellent references, experience and positive qualities. The Board felt that Hillman Engineering was a best fit to Aquarius.

The contract was signed in June 2016 with the objective to start the construction work supervised by Hillman early 2017.

It is surprising that more than 3 months after the comprehensive work done some doubts emerge. Every week in the Construction Committee meetings there are presentations and discussion of the project. Budgetary estimates were presented in September. Every month, in the Board of Directors meetings, some aspects of the work have been aired. Both meetings are open to the owners and participation is encouraged.

It may be of value to mention that Hillman Engineering was instrumental in the dispute Aquarius had with the construction of the neighbor Trump Building. The result negotiation gave Aquarius a sizeable sum back in 2009.

Before reposting Mr. Farber findings on Hillman Engineering it is important to mention that the company clients are mostly business, commercial concerns and condominiums. Hillman has limited work with private clients. Most sites like Angie’s List, YP, Google, Home Advisor, Yellow Pages and others contemplate the experience homeowners have with vendors. They are, in general,  not Business-to-Business evaluation and review sites.

An interesting review on BuildZoom a site that caters Business-to-Business  firms like Hillman is worth mentioning. They give Hillman a score of 92 saying that Hillman is better than 68% of all firms pooled.

BuildZoom Scores

Hillman Construction Corp has a BuildZoom score of 92, which places them above 68% of 191,428 contractors in Florida.

atencao_anime

And now re posting Mr. Faber correspondence

 

To President and V.President Board of Directors.

 

From Mark Farber, apt.1503N. 954-239-8369.

Yesterday ,October21, I received by emall  Contract w/Hillman Engrg for 40y ReCertification,which was singed by President of the BOD in June 2016.

Please post on website information about HILLMAN ENGINEERING INC  every resident of Aquarius must know.  This company have worked for Aquarius Association and because of bed experience with us company was fired by the BOD.

Please keep in mind the company has operated since 1996,but:

1.THIS COMPANY DOESN’T HAVE ANY ANGIE’S LIST REVIEWS YET.

2.THIS BUSINESS IS NOT BBB ACCREDITED

3.On A scale of a+ to f company HILLMAN ENGINEERING INC has valuation “C”.

Ratings and Reviews for HILLMAN ENGINEERING INC       N/A

in Structural Engineering

  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
  • F
  • PriceN/A
  • QualityN/A
  • ResponsivenessN/A
  • PunctualityN/A
  • ProfessionalismN/A

This company doesn’t have any Angie’s List reviews yet.

BBB BUSINESS REVIEW

What is a BBB Business Review?

THIS BUSINESS IS NOT BBB ACCREDITED

Hillman Engineering, Inc.

Phone: (954) 975-9008Fax: (954) 975-9011970 W McNab Rd STE 200, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309-1145http://www.hillmanengineering.com/
On a scale of A+ to FReason for RatingBBB Ratings System Overview

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BBB Business Reviews may not be reproduced for sales or promotional purposes.

BBB Accreditation  –  Hillman Engineering, Inc. is not BBB Accredited.

Businesses are under no obligation to seek BBB accreditation, and some businesses are not accredited because they have not sought BBB accreditation.

To be accredited by BBB, a business must apply for accreditation and BBB must determine that the business meets BBB accreditation standards, which include a commitment to make a good faith effort to resolve any consumer complaints. BBB Accredited Businesses must pay a fee for accreditation review/monitoring and for support of BBB services to the public.

Reason for Rating

BBB rating is based on 13 factors. Get the details about the factors considered.

Factors that affect the rating for Hillman Engineering, Inc. include:

  • Failure to respond to one complaint filed against business.

Customer Complaints SummaryRead complaint details

1 complaint closed with BBB in last 3 years | 0 closed in last 12 months

Complaint Type Total Closed Complaints
Problems with Product / Service 1
Advertising / Sales Issues 0
Billing / Collection Issues 0
Delivery Issues 0
Guarantee / Warranty Issues 0
Total Closed Complaints 1

Read Complaints | Definitions | BBB Complaint Process | File a Complaint

Customer Reviews SummaryRead customer reviews

0 Customer Reviews Customer Reviews on Hillman Engineering, Inc.

Customer Experience Total Customer Reviews
Positive Experience 0
Neutral Experience 0
Negative Experience 0
Total Customer Reviews 0 Customer Reviews

Read Customer Reviews | Submit a Customer Review | See Trends in Customer Reviews on Hillman Engineering, Inc.

  • Government Actions   BBB knows of no government actions involving the marketplace conduct of Hillman Engineering, Inc..

What government actions does BBB report on?   Advertising Review

BBB has nothing to report concerning Hillman Engineering, Inc.’s advertising at this time.

What is BBB Advertising Review?   Additional Information

BBB file opened: 03/25/2014

Licensing, Bonding or Registration

This company is in an industry that may require licensing, bonding or registration in order to lawfully do business. BBB encourages you to check with the appropriate agency to be certain any requirements are currently being met.

Business Management     Principal: Mr. Henry Hillman (President)

Business Category   Engineers – Professional

 

signed:   Mark Farber, apt.1503N.         TEL:954-239-8369.

.o0o.

 

 

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