Letter to the Editor
As a member of the board of Palm Bay Condominium, the smaller building sandwiched between Palm Bay Yacht Club and Palm Bay Towers, I was disappointed by your article, “Palm Bay’s Triple Trouble,” which was a deeply inaccurate portrayal of our community.
It’s not surprising the article was misleading. Reporter Samantha Morell relied solely on accusations by a few individuals involved in a lawsuit against their condo associations, and gave those association boards no opportunity to respond. Instead, it tarred the three independent boards with the same accusatory brush.
Some facts about Palm Bay Condo: As the minority member of the committee managing the marina, we did not control the events leading to its condemnation in 2019. But we are playing a central role in the solution – in August, the owners in PBC and Palm Bay Towers (PBT) voted overwhelmingly to partner with Yacht Management of South Florida to restore and operate the marina. The article failed to note that major step forward.
Palm Bay Condominium is NOT facing special assessments in the tens of millions, like our neighbors, to obtain recertification, because we have diligently maintained our building. And unlike many South Florida condos, we can finance the necessary repairs so any assessment can be paid over a decade or more.
The article also inaccurately stated we have the same management company as Palm Bay Yacht Club; we replaced them in January – as fact-checking would have found.
Your principal source, Thomas Marrazza, filed a lawsuit against PBT that was later extended to PBC. The sum demanded is comparable to the special assessment he complains about – yet it would do nothing to bring the buildings or marina up to code – it would only enrich the plaintiffs. Meanwhile, the litigation is obstructing mortgage applications by prospective buyers.
Your second quoted source, Tim Hogle, was actually president of PBT and principally responsible for the decisions described in the lawsuit as leading to the condemnation of the marina. Without apparent irony, he joined the lawsuit after residents of his condominium ousted him from the board.
The article also references the opinions of Charles Culpepper, an engineer. Mr. Culpepper was previously hired by Mr. Hogle when the latter attempted to prevent PBC from replacing its sea wall. Mr. Culpepper testified, incredibly, that two men in a rowboat could repair a decades-old, cracked sea wall. His testimony was rejected in its entirety. It was revealed that he was disciplined for failing to report to the engineering licensing board that he had pleaded nolo contendere to a felony charge.
Your photo credits reveal your third source was Annabella Buchelli. She and her husband are the only PBC owners to have joined the Marrazza lawsuit, out of 70+ units, so I would suggest her opinion alone is not representative. When she finished tied for last in the 2022 board elections, the owners made clear they wanted a board that would maintain the building and protect the value of owners’ units – including from lawsuit monetary demands that far exceed any assessment facing PBC.
We don’t know the plaintiffs’ goals, but Ms. Buchelli recently shared an article entitled “Why Condo Redevelopment Holds the Key to Florida Real Estate Investment.” As a board, we would evaluate and share any opportunity, but we won’t allow our community’s future to be forced by a self-serving few.
We appreciate The Biscayne Times’ commitment to local coverage, but please report responsibly, rather than painting your neighbors into a pre-existing narrative.
Andrew Sherry, Board Secretary
Palm Bay Condominium Association