TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – More than two years after a Better Call Behnken investigation exposed shoddy construction at a south Tampa condominium, the complex is nearly fixed.
“Your report made a big difference, and we couldn’t be happier now,” said Louis Ayoub, the association president at the time the poor construction was discovered.
The condo association reached an undisclosed settlement agreement with Texas-based D.R. Horton to tear stucco off nearly every building, replace moldy wood and and reconstruct the buildings.
The revelation of poor craftsmanship at Schooner Cove came to light on the heels of another major 8 On Your Side investigation into construction at the Willowbrook Condominiums in Bradenton.
In Willowbrook’s case, it took three years and dozens of WFLA reports. Then, the Florida Attorney Generals’s Office settled their own investigation by reaching a multimillion-dollar settlement with builder KB home that required the company to fix the condos.
That got the attention of the condo association at Schooner Cove. They were hearing from homeowners concerned about water intrusion in their condos. The Better Call Behnken team was there when engineers popped the stucco off 10 buildings last week, revealing a moldy mess.
They found wood so rotten, it crumbled like butter. Workers went building to building checking for trouble. This exploratory work came after the neighborhood condo association hired an attorney and pushed for answers. They found mold and what Ayoub called building code violations.
Ayoub said living through construction was tough for residents. In the beginning, some homeowners were unable to sell their houses, he said, but now, the market has bounced back and condos are selling quickly.
“This is one of the last affordable developments in south Tampa,” Ayoub said. “It was definitely worth it that we fought for this.”
Contractors say the work should be completed within a couple of months.
