NORTH BAY VILLAGE, FLA. (WSVN) - Tuesday marks the final day for residents of the Majestic Isle Condominium to move out after the building was deemed unsafe. The move has left 55 residents questioning what comes next.
Early Tuesday morning saw U-Haul trucks coming in and out of the building as movers helped residents pack their belongings. Officials had given the residents until 10 a.m. to clear out of the building.
By the afternoon, the Majestic Isle Condominium was eerily quiet, the parking lot taped off by police. One of North Bay Village oldest building now stands vacant.
The decision to force residents out came after an engineering report highlighted the building’s poor condition. Concerns about sagging floors and termite damage have led to fears over the safety of the residents.
One woman who has been living in the complex for 23 years said she does not want to return after learning about the condo’s bad state.
More than half of the residents have found alternative accommodation while the condo undergoes safety construction. However, some residents still require shelter, and the meeting ended with an agreement to pay for up to two weeks’ accommodation at a special rate at the Best Western Hotel.
Mayor of North Bay Village Brent Latham was at the property to help those that needed a ride to the hotel.
“Last night, we spent a lot of time and energy making sure that all of the last residents were taken care of in terms of having a place to go,” he said.
On Monday, officials met with the residents to discuss how to help renters and owners of the condominium. The meeting was emotional for many, and some were concerned about where they would stay in the short term.
The owners of the building are now required to come up with a plan to make the building safe, and a fence will soon surround the building. It is unclear when residents will be able to return, as nobody from the condo’s homeowner’s association attended the commission meeting.
Latham said when it comes to these types of situations, there is always uncertainty, but there are some actions city leaders can do to help.
“The only thing the city can do is make sure that the permits and the plans are expedited,” he said.
As the residents continue to move out of the building, there are many questions about what comes next for those who are displaced.
Some people had to leave their furniture behind in hopes of picking it up later if they decide to move to another residence permanently.
As many of you know, Channel 7 is located in North Bay Village. The people who have been forced to leave Majestic Isle are our neighbors, so to help them in this difficult time, the Channel 7 Foundation has made a generous donation to an organization called the Miami Foundation.
Our donation will help residents with relocation and other housing costs. If you’d like to donate, visit this link: miamifoundation.org/funds/north-bay-village/. In the Gift Instructions section, you can put the word Majestic.
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