The landscape of Surfside, Miami is poised for change with the construction of The Delmore, a 12-story high-end condominium where once stood the Champlain Towers South, which suffered a tragic collapse in June 2021, claiming 98 lives. DAMAC International, the Dubai-based developer has embarked on this project, bringing to the market luxurious "mansions in the sky," each starting at $15 million as revealed in an interview with NBC6. Jeffery Rossely, SVP of Development for DAMAC International, highlighted the allure of the waterfront lifestyle to prospective buyers, citing Surfside's desirability within Miami's billionaire triangle.
Yet, the move to construct opulence atop a site of sorrow stirred emotions among the victims' families, still grappling with their loss. Martin Langesfeld, whose sister and brother-in-law perished in the collapse, expressed his distress, "There is nothing to celebrate. Ninety-eight people were killed and we do not know why," according to a NBC6 interview. His plea for answers echoes louder as the developer presses on without conclusions from the ongoing federal investigation, expected to make its findings public in 2026.
Despite assurances from the developer, for the relatives of those lost in the collapse, the construction signifies an erasure rather than a hopeful vision of the future. The soft launch of The Delmore did not go unnoticed by the concerned relatives, as discussed in a report by WSVN, where a private event underlined their sentiment that it was all happening too soon and that a memorial to honor their loved ones is paramount. These families continue their push for a tangible acknowledgment of the tragedy as part of the new development, a request that so far, appears to have been unmet.
Rossely stands by the decision to move forward, underscoring the complexities that led to the sale of the site, "Very clearly there was a decision by the court that the site needed to be sold, because there was under insurance on the property, but there were people, survivors, with mortgages that they couldn't pay, so this is not just about the 98 people that died, it's also about those that survived to go on with their lives as well," he told NBC6. However, the marketing for the burgeoning high-rise is yet to acknowledge the historical events of the site, a concern that 7News tried to address with the developers, but to no avail. The Delmore is slated for completion in 2029.
