Opinion
“Essential” Luxury Condo Construction Sites Continue during COVID-19
Open Letter to Mayor Suarez and Governor DeSantis. By Michelle Comer.
Gentlemen: thank you for your time, energy, and leadership during the COVID-19 crisis. Full disclosure, I am a registered Republican and a capitalist. That said, I just received an email from my building management. It reaffirms the county’s COVID-19 guidelines and mandates which clearly indicate that the construction of luxury residential condominiums (open construction sites) is considered “essential” and can continue under “regular inspections.”
So here is my concern/question in three parts
1) Please explain to me how open construction sites involving luxury condos are essential?
2) How does a construction worker, who cannot maintain social distancing, possibly wearing the same clothes from the day before, potentially having been around others who have the virus, who are handling common items and working within inches of each other, NOT pose a transmission threat; but an office worker who isolates in a cube or their own office must stay home?
3) These individuals go to OUR neighborhood stores, pharmacies, banks, etc. How can this activity NOT be high risk of transmission and spreading this virus within our neighborhood? I’m no epidemiologist, but according to those experts, this clearly opposes their advice.
Gentlemen, none of this is adding up. This very idea defies all logic and leaves me to believe that this allowance has more to with money and less to do with the common welfare of our neighborhoods. Meanwhile, small businesses, restaurants, and a myriad of others remain at financial risk and are spiraling down economically.
These examples are not mutually exclusive. In fact, from what all of the experts are indicating and in order to beat this, all forms of gathering need to halt for everyone — not just small businesses and individual members of society. It appears to me that while rich people and companies continue business as usual, everyone else is expected to make huge sacrifices for the common good. It’s not fair, and there’s no doubt in my mind that leaving these non-essential construction projects open is directly contributing to the spread of COVID-19.
Moreover, we are not talking about the construction of a hospital, or a critical warehouse in our food supply chain, or even a necessary bridge or overpass; we are talking about million-dollar Aston Martin condos. At a very minimum, the optics are not good and leave people wondering just how serious you are about containing the virus. Many budding businesses in Miami will not come back from this financially. I suppose we can take solace in knowing that when this is all said and done, that the wealthy can still purchase an Aston Martin condo — that’s what is important.
I have tweeted, emailed, called, and left messages, etc., all in vain. Not one of you, or anyone from your offices, has had the courtesy to contact me with an answer. Not to be disrespectful, but isn’t your job to guide and protect your communities? To help maintain calm and exhibit transparency? That’s what you keep telling us on the TV, so now t’s time to prove it.
I’m not the only one to notice this is a problem, so a comprehensive explanation is not only expected, it’s required. Again, thank you for your attention to this matter, as well as your leadership during this critical time. You are appreciated and have done an excellent job.
Michelle Comer is a downtown resident.
