paradise rec center $20 mil
 

paradise rec center is only 39 years old. a 39 year old house is new to me. why cant they build it to last 100 years. they are going to tear it all down??? yes a rec center should be redone inside every so many years. but to have to tear it all down, and for only $20 mil. what a waste of our money.

Contractor connections!

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:censored:

Very good question, our neighbors house up north was built in 1882 and is still in very functional condition despite the harsh northern winter climate. Hacienda Hills and the old El Santiago recreation center were both torn down at relatively young ages as well. The logical assumption is that the developer builds facilities with the intention of selling them at an early age to a captive party (not necessarily arms length transactions) and therefore won’t be responsible for the long term costs of maintaining/replacing the facilities. When the builder of a facility is motivated by maximizing profits, knowing they have a captive buyer for the property, what would be the incentive to spend the money to build to top notch long term expected life standards?

Well this how it works IMO. They have plenty access to our money. Spend how they want to. Not how we want them to. You can go to meetings for input, bottom line they do what they want, but you feel good participating. Don’t have enough money, no problem tack it on at end of year with maintenance fee. Better get use to it, accept it, or _____? You can try to get elected but we have seen how out that worked out for couple if buck the system…. And yes I can have opinion.

Not just that. It had a major update perhaps 10 years ago.

Same as the crumbling pickleball courts at Burnsed and Rohan, same as the failed storm drains, they build on the cheap knowing that they won't have to spend a penny on repairs.

Do some research !!!

Villages Settles Lawsuit | POA of The Villages

So going spend half that on one rec center?

Then why 25% proposed increase maintenance fees in some districts?

Where do you think all the improvements over the last 13 years in districts 1-4 have come from ? Paved cart paths, Paradise park, etc. They did not come from the developer. Look at the payout schedule and therein lies the answer to your question. The lawsuit was over the Paradise Rec Center. Seems slightly unethical to me to redirect the money if that is even legal but what do I know. I am just a guy that invested a little effort to educate myself on the history of where I live.

Without running to a search engine what does the "H" in H Gary Morse stand for ?

My amenities and maintenance fees. That’s where.

Seems like only yesterday (LOL!) I went there to see the absolutely beautiful renovation and remodeling, and the gorgeous redo of the pool area. I thought it was very impressive, was surprised to find it would need so much more this "soon" after that major remodel, but, time flies as they say,

minus $20 million

The plans are stunning. They are keeping with the Spanish Style. Expanding every room with plenty of outdoor features. When complete, it may be the nicest rec center in the Villages. That is if they don't overdo the interior decor as in some rec centers.

Lawsuit over amenities money use
 

Fascinating piece. The parts that caught my eye:

The lawsuit seemed unlikely to succeed, according to court records showing that a retired judge and six major law firms from Tallahassee to Miami declined to take it.
>>>>>

The settlement includes confidentiality and nondisparagement clauses, which prevent the parties from discussing the case or criticizing Morse or The Villages.

The settlement also requires the defendants to pay $50,000 each to Dreidame and four other named plaintiffs and $6.7 million to the plaintiffs' brother-sister legal team, Dougald McMillan and Carol McMillan Anderson.

Donald Maciejewski, a Jacksonville lawyer who has handled mass-plaintiff air-disaster cases, called the lawsuit a "true David and Goliath" case, citing the defendants' financial strength.
>>>>>

In an affidavit submitted to the judge to justify attorney fees, Maciejewski said the novelty and complexity of the case suggested that the plaintiffs' chances for success were "virtually zero." He also pointed out that McMillan and Anderson were "a last resort."
>>>>>

Anderson praised Morse and his lawyers, saying the settlement proves they have the community's best interest at heart.
>>>>>

The agreement also creates a resident-controlled "Amenity Authority Committee" that will have a louder voice in the use of amenity fees.
>>>>>

Wonder how this "AAC" has worked out. Don't recall hearing about it, but I don't pay very good attention. . .

AAC Members are found at districtgov.org
Monthly meetings held the Wednesday before the second Friday (cant they make the date easier?) at 9:00 at the Savannah Rec Center- Ashley Wilkes Room

Gwtw
 

Thank you! Guess there's always a Wednesday prior to second Fridays. Still kinda hurts my head. :-)

Can we still even mention Ashley Wilkes??

I sure hope that Chula Vista Rec Center is next. It is a dump. The billiard room alone isn't big enough compared to others. The chairs are soiled and ripped. There are times that the central air doesn't work.

Sounds like you need the same brother/sister legal team to help you out!

tax
 

wonder if it's a tax thing you only get depreciation for so many years

Your question is a good one. However The Developer has a history of building items that don't withstand the test of time. Remember El Santiago Restaurant (where the building was so bad and the residents got screwed in a purchase deal) , Hacienda CC (repairs beyond the value of the building), Brownwood water tower (the one residents paid for repair of the Developer's public town square), and just the other day the Brownwood welcome sign. Let's bring the Morse Blvd bridge fiasco into this also.

Rec ctr
 

In Plainville, Ct is a great restaurant named J Timothy's built in 1789 and renovated many times thru the years. My German boss from Frankfort said it was an infant compared to the buildings where he lives. Renovate the rec ctr please.

$$$
 

Build it, don't maintain it, than it becomes cheaper to replace it, than to do all the repairs that should been done through the years. HAVC, roof, electrical upgrades, water heater, other maintenance neglicted.

As I understand it: the Historic section was built out and occupied during the 1970's, when it was ACTUALLY 55+ people moving in. The world wide web and cell phones didn't exist yet, the area was designed around people who lived much less complicated lives than they do now. Even the Americans with Disabilities Act, which created requirements for reasonable accommodations to public buildings, wasn't signed until 1990.

Now, almost 40 years later, that first batch of Villagers are either dead, in nursing homes/memory care, or on their way to one or the other. The new buyers are from the current batch of 55+ folks, who have grown up with the internet, cell phones, the ADA, and (other than veterans of the military) generally more into physical fitness than their golf-and-shuffleboard retiree grandparents were.

The new batch - the current and new and soon-to-be residents of the Historic section of the Villages, have MUCH different needs and interests from their predecessors. And so - their rec center needs an upgrade. After almost 40 years, it's time. If it were a singular building with no pool, this might not be a necessity. But it isn't.

In addition, the church at the corner is landlocked; the property belongs to the Villages and they have no church-owned parking at all. The church might need to move elsewhere, and that building converted into something else - or replaced with a park, parking lot, or other activity. The new plans don't accommodate dedicated church parking.

For the Historic District, it would make much more sense to build a rehab center instead of a rec center.

As I said - most of the original residents are already dead, OR already in nursing homes, or memory care. The new residents are recent retirees, only around 50-60 years old. But you go ahead with your ageist remarks, I'm sure it'll get you far in life.

It just baffles me about all the complaints about things going on in the Villages. It’s a great lifestyle with the best value in amenities in the country.

Very excited to see them building a new Paradise Rec center. Will enjoy it for the next 39 years.

I'm sure everyone is excited about seeing the upgrades, but the question, and I think it is a valid one, is why are we spending so much money? It is coming out of our pockets, indirectly. As others have pointed out, the building is relatively new, and the facilities were refurbished maybe 10 years ago. It appears that a lot of the facilities in the Villages "look" great, but perhaps are built on the cheap, and don't hold up. People who notice things like that aren't ungrateful whiners, they are good consumers, asking questions that really deserve answers.

They looked at redoing and that would cost more. There have been too many adding over the years. Have you ever walked around paradise and counted the number of individual AC units needed to cool the building. It is dark and drab inside. This is going to be a beautiful, functional addition to the historic side snd we should be happy that this is being done.

And let us not forget by keeping up the infrastructure of all sections of TV it benefits everyone's home value - north to extreme south. Imagine a new buyer coming to TV and see that as a section ages it is not maintained. I'd have second thoughts.

Cheap shot.

It was going to be $19M to renovate or $20M for all new, kind of a no brainer. So much has changed over 39 years as to what is being put into rec centers so it will be nice for the residents in the historic section.

Glad to see the area having their their facilities continuosly updated. Bodes well for all of The Villages.

The developer is the owner and using reputable contractors to oversee the rebuilding the recreation center.

I don’t believe The Developer owns Paradise. (I have no facts to verify this)

Rebuilding within current building standards
 

Perhaps interior renovations would be cheaper but complete rebuilding using current stringent hurricane proof building standards may be more practical.

The Village Center Community Development District (District) is the unit of local government.

Let's take a look at what is being done.

https://youtu.be/E71-aHDoBbc?si=LJkbVdNsbKX880jq

corruption...corruption...corruption

After 39 years it is no longer paradise...Kinda like a marriage after 4 years :)

The developer is not the owner. We own this rec car and AAC is responsible for its maintenance, etc.