Update - Island Dunes Oceanside I-- Thursday, Oct. 28

For those who may not have gotten the email from Barbara, here's the text of a message from association president Gerry Long:

Dear Unit Owner,
This is another update on the condition of the property and our restoration efforts. Significant progress has been made in the past few weeks. Major cleanup efforts of both the building and grounds are completed, and demolition of the damaged common areas of the building is almost complete. Blowing sand continues to be a problem.
New water pumps and temporary roof vents have been installed, a temporary dunewalk is in place, the fire alarm system and mailboxes are on order, a line of credit has been established, and progress is being made repairing the individual units that were damaged.
The board has approved North American Resource Group, Inc., as our general contractor. They have had an engineer and representatives of their various subcontractors on site within the past few days, and detailed cost estimates are being developed.
The dune has been rebuilt, but will be vulnerable until vegetation is in place. No firm date for planting has been set because water cannot be provided by the country club for at least two weeks. After that, the irrigation system will have to be tested and repaired. The POA is pursuing alternative methods of providing water to the dunes. As I stated in my last letter, no ground floor building restoration will begin until protective vegetation is in place.
Good news – the golf course will open on Monday, November 1st. It will play quite differently because of the loss of trees and other vegetation, and no irrigation is available. However, it will be great to have it back. The country club pool may also open within a week.
Our staff continues to perform exceptionally well under difficult circumstances. I will keep you informed as more information becomes available.

Sincerely,
Gerry Long

Update - Oceanside I-- Friday, Oct. 22

Some updates on Oceanside I:

Most of the demolition work in the common areas has been completed. The damaged equipment and wallboard has been removed. Areas exposed to the outside have been boarded up, and the interior work areas are also boarded up. The storage rooms have been completely gutted, and are cleaned and ready for rebuilding. However, no rebuilding will be started on any of the lower areas until the dunes are stabilized and we can have some assurance the areas will not be flooded again (see the related posting below). Repairs are, however, in progress for all units that were damaged in the storms.

There will be a board meeting next Tuesday night to approve a general contractor for the building for all future repairs. Please plan to attend if you are in town.

Oceanside I -- View from the lobby into the social room 

Oceanside I -- The social room kitchen 

Oceanside I -- View of the South storage room, from the social room 

Oceanside I -- North storage room 

Oct. 21 -- Parking lot in front of Oceanside I 

Island Dunes Update -- Friday, Oct. 22

Some general updates:

The POA has made good progress getting the grounds cleaned up as much as possible. The dirt and sand have been cleaned up from the parking lots and common areas. A temporary dune walk is being built and will be completed in a few more days.

The pools will not be ready for some time. One pool needs some repairs, and sand from the exposed dunes continues to blow into the area, so the pools cannot be refilled at this time. The board is looking into the possibility of some fencing or netting that could keep the sand from blowing into the area.

There are plans to re-vegetate the dunes, but this work can not be started until the irrigation system is in place. The irrigation system, is turn, is waiting for repairs to be made to the water reclamation plant which is on the country club property. Some bad news -- we are expecting rough seas with 5 to 6 foot waves this weekend. Let's hope our barren dunes can withstand the onslaught!

Island Dunes Country Club - Friday, Oct. 22

Here's a brief update on the situation with the country club:

The paved tennis courts and the Fairways restaurant are the only facilities open at this time. The restaurant is open daily for dinner.

The clay tennis courts, swimming pool, and golf course are still closed while restoration plans are being worked on.

There will be a board meeting and workshop next Thursday to discuss plans and a timetable for all the work that needs to be done. Expect a formal communication to all residents from the board in early November.

Restoration News -- Sunday, Oct. 17

Two interesting articles on condominium and beach restoration:

> Loss of sand leaves beaches, homes at risk

> Owners assess condo repairs

We still have our sunsets! 

Update - Island Dunes -- Sunday, Oct. 17

To all:
Sorry if my updates are getting fewer and farther between. We have returned to our home in Colorado, so I'm relying on input from others to get the latest news. Most owners probably have their own sources of information by now anyway, but I'm glad I was able to fill a gap for those didn't during the early days of these hurricanes. I'll continue to post updates on the progress of restoration activities as often as possible, so stay tuned. I'm also going to have some follow-up information on what's being done to try to get "permanent" dune restoration going, as well as beach renourishment.

Here's some news from Cindy Flood:

The POA at Oceanside I and II got a lot done this week. I don't know all the details, but I noticed that there was lots of scraping and cleaning of the parking lot. The car wash was turned on at the south end of the parking lot. A stop sign was posted at the exit by the guardhouse. We are all lucky to have Doug Smith and the POA board doing such a great job for us.

Oceanside II: Plywood doors were put up to block off the social area. Now the workers can work without worrying about the safety of the residents. All of the cages have been dismantled and removed. The walkway to the bike room was shoveled out. The bike room survived in great shape.

Some good cleanup progress at Oceanside II

Update - Oceanside II-- Wednesday, Oct. 13

Update from Cindy Flood:

Oceanside II now has all of the trash and debris removed from the portico. The sand has been shoveled out and the area has been swept and hosed down. The crew also cleaned the catwalks on all of the floors today. The POA had crews cleaning the parking lot. Joanne was back in the office, but she still does not have phone service restored. Hill/York worked on the A/C units again today and we will reset A/C units Wednesday morning.

Important Notice From Marian Ream!!

Due to all the hurricane damage, the storage lockers on the ground floor both in the North and South Locker areas will have to be removed and replaced when renovation takes place. Anything that is in or above the lockers must be removed by this Friday, October 15. Unfortunately, most of the items in all of the storage bins will or has been discarded because of mold and mildew as a result of the water damage. We are planning on having a storage bin for some of the salvageable items but there is no guarantee what the items will be like as a result of being stored.

All of the work in the storage locker area must be completed before we can finally power wash and sanitize the ground floor. Please bear with us regarding this work as it is necessary before we can proceed restoring our building.

If anyone is removing items for friends, please do not place them on the balconies as we are having the balconies cleaned and this will only create more sand and dirt on the walkways and in the elevators.

Thank you for your cooperation.

*Please note that mold and mildew can be very infectious to some people. Please take special care when dealing with the exposed items.

Optimisim abounds! Things are returning to normal already! 

Update - Island Dunes Oceanside II-- Saturday, Oct. 09

The following update and picture comes from Cindy Flood:

I just thought everyone would be happy to see some great progress. The sand has all been removed from most of the first floor. The lobby is shiny and bright (well compared to last week!) and we are all set to start mail delivery.
Cindy

Oceanside II Lobby -- 10/9/04 

Update -- Oceanside I -- Saturday, Oct. 09

Gerry Long, association president, sent out the following update via email. I'm repeating it here in case some people are not on the email list. To get on the email list, contact Barbara Blanchard at islanddunes1@adelphia.net

Dear Unit Owner,

In order to keep you informed and help you plan, we will periodically send information on the condition of the property and our restoration plans. Our top priority is the safety and security of the owners and the building. We are currently working on restoration of damaged units, replacement of the fire alarm system and roof vents, new water pumps, electrical repairs, debris removal, and many other requirements.

Adjusters from our insurance companies and FEMA have been working with us and letting us know what we need to do to support our claims. The estimating process will require significant effort; we will try to compress the timeframe as much as possible.

At this point I cannot give you an estimate of our loss or the assessments required to cover it; however, I can say our deductible on the hurricane policy is approximately $320,000. Please remember that we will have additional financial responsibilities, such as content loss that may exceed FEMA limits. The board will be seeking a line of credit of $500,000 to be used only as necessary. The POA and Country Club will also have to develop estimates for our portion of their losses.

Restoration of our common areas will not begin until the dune is stabilized and vegetation is in place. Hopefully, planting can begin in a few weeks. We are working with contractors to assure that work schedules are as aggressive as possible.

For your planning purposes, I want to emphasize that this is basically a construction site with no amenities. There are no social, game, or exercise rooms, no pools, spa, or dunewalk. We have a number of contractors and pieces of heavy equipment on site. Therefore, the area is not conducive to relaxation and, for safety reasons, is certainly not a place for children.

As soon as project schedules are developed, I will share them with you. We will once again have the best condominium on the island, but it is going to take a great deal of time and resources to accomplish that task.
Sincerely,

Gerry Long

New temporary dune -- looking south 

New temporary dune -- looking north 

Oceanside II 

Pool area 

Oceanside I -- anyone want to buy some slightly used recreation equipment? 

Oceanside I -- our once-beautiful entryway 

Oceanside I -- Wall between the south storage room and the social room 

Our pools 

Common area cleanup 

The new view from the social room 

Update -- Oceanside II Thursday, Oct. 7

I visited the Oceanside II building today and talked to Cindy Flood - a resident, and Marian Ream - wife of the association president Chuck. Both indicated that good progress is being made, although there is a lot to do. One elevator is working, and there is power and water to all units.

The damage to the building seemed to be similar to what we experienced in Bldg. I, with the social room, lobby, and exercise rooms completely blown out by the storm surge. The north storage lockers were completely destroyed, and the south lockers were damaged by about 2 feet of water and sand. Everything will need to be removed from storage and the rooms rebuilt. Temporary walls are being put in place so that the office can be set up again by Monday. Contractors have been in and building supplies are being put in place so that reconstruction can begin soon.

The primary concern right now is clearing the grounds and pushing the sand from the parking lots and lawn back to the beach to reconstruct the dunes. We need to have protective dunes in place (for both buildings) before investing in repairs to the lobby level, or the first storm will flood the area again. Also critical for both buildings is to seal up the back walls on the lower level. Both buildings have a clear view of the beach from the lobby, and are exposed to the elements.

Chuck and Marian have sent out letters to all owners detailing progress. Marian also has an email address that you can reach her on. If you send her you're email address, she will create a master list to send out additional update information. Her address is marianream@aol.com.

Cindy and Ozine Hemperley have been working hard as volunteers to help with the recovery. Today they were checking the interior of all units to look for damage. If any issues are found, you will be notified. (If you don't hear anything -- that's a good thing!).

The following update comes from Cindy Flood:

We are making tremendous progress considering the fact that we lack a building manager. Chuck and Marian Ream are working very hard for us. Things have really turned around this week. If anyone wants info on Oceanside II, feel free to have them call me at 800-247-4862.

Regards,

Cindy Flood
cindyflood@earthlink.net

Update - Island Dunes Oceanside I-- Monday, Oct. 04

Donna Draper provides this update:

We spent a few hours at Island Dunes yesterday. The building above the first floor looks fine except for 1401 which must not have secured the shutters very well. There may be a couple of others that have minor damage, dents, etc., but overall our building looks OK. Sunday it was quiet and nobody was really around. The parking lot has a couple of cars sideways and is dirty, so the entry looks far less inviting that it did! "Kinda napalmed" as my husband puts it. We went through Andrew in Miami, and it looks very much the same but this is not as bad. The good news is that things really do return to normal; it just takes time...and money.

The first floor common area is pretty much blown out and all torn up but has been cleared of most of the mud and sand. The surge took out the wall to the south storage area (mine) and bent the cages in that first row. There must have been at least 2 ft. of wet sand and water in both storage area cages at one point. The north storage area is still wet and muddy but the floor is visible. You can walk in there but will get muddy feet. Upon entry to the lobby, there is a lovely breeze coming through the social room and a clear shot of the beach. It would be wonderful were it not for all the destruction that first meets your eyes.

All power was on yesterday but there is a "use at your own risk" sign in the elevators. The pools are cleared out with huge mounds of sand all around the edges. The little room where they store the patio furniture is full of sand. Nevertheless, it is apparent that there has been lots of work going on in Bldg. 1 in comparison with Bldg. 2 which is a disaster on the first floor. They also have more damage to shutters and balconies it looks like. We are lucky in that regard, and I think Ted and Barbara as well as others have been working hard.

Basically, it looks like we are undergoing a massive renovation, which we are--just not elected, I guess, and we can only assume that "special assessment" is coming down the pike to cover the deductible.

They were checking ID at the Stuart bridge and again at the entry to St. Lucie county, so bring an electric bill in case they're still there.

Donna

Update - Island Dunes Oceanside I-- Friday, Oct. 01

More progress -- Elevators, A/C, and water are all working. A unit-by-unit inspection is taking place to determine if there is any damage. As of Friday, all units on levels 14 through 9 have been completed. The rest should be done today. Owners will be contacted if there is any damage noted in their units. If you don't get contacted, that's a good thing!

The storage areas need to be completely emptied due to the water damage there. Every owner needs to make arrangements to empty their storage locker -- either personally or through a third party. Gerry Long has sent out a letter to all owners regarding this matter, a part of which I've pasted below.

Please note: Barbara has a master email list of Oceanside I residents. If you have not gotten any emails from her, it means you are not on the list. To get on the list, email her at islanddunes1@adelphia.net and give her your name and unit number.

The following update is from Barbara:

Hi,
We now have electric, water, AC, and the elevators are working (AMEN). Attached is a copy of a letter written by Gerry Long that went out to all owners today.

We are temporarily set up in unit 206 as unit 103 had sand come into their unit. Thanks to both the Ripper's and the Monin's for letting us use their unit for the office. That was so thoughtful of both couples to do that. These are convenient units as they are on the lower floors.

Take care!

Barb

Part of Gerry Long's letter:

One common problem that requires your immediate attention is the storage cages on the ground floor. The contents were damaged by water and mud. The FEMA adjuster said they would have to be removed and redone.

For safety and health reasons we must take action on getting rid of the material in the storage area. Some owners have been notified that their property was so badly effected it had to be scrapped as the sand and mud was removed. The rest of you must take action to remove your property prior to October 11, 2004 or it will be scrapped as it poses a health threat from mold formation and severely limits our ability to restore the building. Your loss should be covered by your personal insurance so you will want to file a claim as soon as possible.

Update -- Regency - Friday Oct.1

The following update is from Charlyn.

Please note: Charlyn is compiling an email list of all Regency Residents. If you have not been receiving email updates from her, it means you are not on her list. To get on, email Charlyn at Flwz41@aol.com and give her your name, building, and unit number.

Hi to all. We got back this afternoon. Dick and Barbara Janes did, also. I think we are the only two who have returned.

The elevators are still out in both buildings, with possible service for them - middle of next week. Walking up in the hot stairwells is tough, but it's so good to be home.

The A/C system for the elevator lobbies in Bldg. I will take about 6 weeks. The A/C for the cabana has been approved and is ordered, but will be about two weeks before that is done.

We are under a "boil water" alert. That's a nuisance, but still not a big one, when you look at the "whole" picture. Some of the buildings on the Island are just being razed. They are not even repairable.

There have been so many pictures sent already, I haven't given much thought to walking down to do that yet. It took three loads just to get essentials back up to our place.

Charlyn