Some condominium buyers paying for Miami’s most luxurious high-rise are dragging the Aston Martin Residences’ developer to court and suing him for fraud.
The Aston Martin-branded tower is supposed to be a pillar of elite luxury in downtown Miami on the Miami River.
Keith Swirsky said he and his wife saw the architecture and fell in love with the design and amenities marketed to them, which include a helipad, private marina, and butler service exclusively for residents.
“No butlers ever appeared,” Swirsky said.
What he and other condo owners said they found when they moved in pushed the 300 Biscayne Boulevard Way Condominium Association to sue German Coto, the principal developer, his businesses, and several others involved in the development of the residences.
“It’s clearly a bait and switch,” said David Haber, Managing Partner for Haber Law, general counsel for the condo association.
Haber filed a civil complaint accusing Coto of fraud and conspiracy to defraud condo owners.
The lawsuit claims Coto used “a network of interconnected companies to enrich himself.” Â That network involved Coto’s businesses, family, and associates who allegedly created companies and then signed six contracts to deliver services, Haber said.
However, Coto did not give owners notice that he has relationships with the contracted companies, the lawsuit claims. Â The service providers also lacked expertise and experience, the lawsuit claims.
So instead of a luxurious living experience, the condo association claims they overpaid for bad service.
“It’s like putting a little leaguer in the major leagues and asking them to hit a 100-mile-an-hour fastball,” Haber said. Â “These people had no ability, competence, or experience to do this kind of work, and they were overpaid for it. It’s intentional to set up a company in the name of your housekeeper or your housekeeper’s husband and have that company get paid by the association to allegedly provide services when in fact they’re not at fair market value, and they’re substandard services.”
“There were water stains and pool water all over the floor and filthy windows and stains everywhere when we moved in,” Swirsky said.
Swirsky said the condo association inherited hundreds of problems and spent a lot to fix them.
CBS News Miami called and emailed German Coto and his companies for comment. Â However, no one responded.
Swirsky said conditions and amenities in the tower are much improved. Â However, the condo association believes Coto owes them millions of dollars in damages.