A luxury address does not necessarily guarantee a safe place to live. Residents of Miami's Ritz-Carlton Tower Residences in Coconut Grove say the 21-story condo building has deteriorated after years of neglect, according to Coconut Grove Spotlight.
Those claims are now part of a court fight over repairs projected to cost $30 million to $40 million.
Here's what to know
The Tower Residences Condominium Association for the 129-unit building has sued former owner Hersha Hospitality Trust and current owner Gencom, arguing that the two companies should be held liable for the extensive repair work, per the outlet.
The association reportedly wants the court to order Gencom to perform the repairs and to require both companies to repay residents for extra costs and lost property value.
Under the usual arrangement, condo owners themselves would be expected to pay about 70% of the total. For many residents, that could mean very large special assessments on top of normal ownership expenses.
Documents from the building's 25-year recertification review identified water intrusion in balcony slabs, stucco cracking, garage roof damage linked to generator oil leaks, and failed post-tension cables, per the outlet. Miami issued a violation notice in February 2025, and the lawsuit says the problems have worsened since then.
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"We have concrete falling onto the sidewalks below our building," the association's president, Martin Mann, shared with the Spotlight.
Built in 2001 at 3400 Southwest 27th Avenue, the tower is part of a two-building complex that also includes the Ritz-Carlton hotel. The hotel building is not named in the lawsuit.
More background
Mann added that managers closed off part of the pool deck and a staircase after concrete was said to have fallen from balconies onto the deck and the street below, as a safety measure for residents and visitors.
Units in the tower reportedly sell for more than $1 million, yet the Spotlight noted owners say they are dealing with problems more commonly associated with long-delayed maintenance and management failures.
The lawsuit also comes amid a broader dispute over property rules and resident control. The outlet reported owners are separately fighting Gencom's plan for an eight-story building above the hotel's ballroom, saying it clashes with the master declaration and questioning the zoning justification for the project.
And while this case involves condo owners, similar housing-rule conflicts play out across the country for renters as well. Landlords and housing authorities have faced criticism for falling short on needed repairs, and blocking practical, money-saving habits such as gardening or hanging clotheslines to dry laundry.
What can be done?
The association is pursuing court action. If successful, the lawsuit could shift more of the repair burden away from residents and force long-delayed work to move forward, as the Spotlight reported.
Residents hoping to push for rule changes or challenge outdated restrictions can also benefit from organizing collectively.
The publication said neither Gencom nor Hersha responded to requests for comment. Mann is pushing for the companies to finally be held to account for years of lax management.
"We have paid hundreds of thousands of dollars and virtually nothing has been done," Mann told the Spotlight.
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