EDEN, PARADISE LOST
This is a cautionary tale, about a group of Americans just like you and me.
It is about "Eden," an upscale, condominium development in Boca Raton, Florida that certainly has not lived up to any notion of paradise.
This condo was scheduled for completion years ago. Purchasers were excited about its great address and proximity to the beach. Eden is also located near local attractions such as Mizner Park (an upscale shopping and housing development complete with a fine regional museum and amphitheater).
The condo promised all the amenities a would-be buyer would love. A large, resort-style pool, club house, exercise room and all those bells and whistles developers promise.
A buyer at Eden was not just purchasing a condo, but a relaxed, vacation-like lifestyle which extended to the individual apartments. All totally new, with fine finishes and features such as over-sized bathrooms, wood floors, flexible floor plans, large closets, granite countertops. Everything new, everything beautiful, everything perfect.
As the sales brochures and in-house sales personnel informed prospective buyers: "You are purchasing Eden."
WELCOME TO REAL ESTATE HELL!
Unfortunately, none of the promises has materialized.
The poor purchasers -- unfortunate souls all -- have waited over two years for the developer, a company called Ceebraid-Signal, to complete their homes. These prospective owners have been more than patient, making calls to the developer, local newspapers, and politicians. Some have even hired attorneys.
While a few purchasers have moved in, most haven’t. And, as our picture shows, the bulk of the buildings remain uncladded shells.
What is most interesting is the company’s principal, a fellow by the name of Adam Schlesinger, stakes claim to this marketing doozy -- perhaps the most ambitious and ridiculous we have ever encountered.
And for that, Mr. Schlesinger is our nominee for "Developer from Hell."
