HOA Nut House

By GRETEL SARMIENTO, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

BOCA RATON — Eden developer Boca East, LLC and Ceebraid-Signal Corporation have been issued subpoenas seeking documents concerning an investigation by the Economic Crimes Division of the state's Attorney General's office. The agency said the subpoenas were sent Friday and this morning, said Sandi Copes, a spokeswoman for the Attorney General's office.

But Eden project manager Adam Schlesinger wrote in an email this morning that neither company had received the subpoenas as of 11 a.m. today.

"Neither Boca East LLC nor Ceebraid Signal Corporation has been served with subpoenas from the office of the attorney general, economic crimes division," Schlesinger wrote.

Boca East is already being investigated by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation for allegedly breaking state law pertaining to condominiums.

The fact that investigations are underway hasn't alleviated the current nightmare Eden condominium unit owners say they have been living. The four buildings at 300 W. Palmetto Park Road that make up the Eden should have turned into an "oasis" a long time ago, or so were they told. But the project was never completed.

Instead the developer has submitted new plans calling for 248 age-restricted units, which city officials anticipate will be a rental community. The plan may not require city council approval though, just the planning and zoning board's vote.

And just last week unit owners learned their worst fear is coming true.

Boca East filed papers to remove two of four buildings that make up the unfinished Eden project. Many believe that's the first move to getting the Eden condominium association dissolved. Once that happens, unit owners will have few rights and will get very little money for units that cost them a lot four years ago, said Attorney Steven Platsek, who represents some of them. So far the developer's offer to buy back their units hasn't materialized, unit owners say.

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