Valet parking squabble pits Alexander Hotel condo association against owner of 40 rooms

The condo association for the Alexander All Suite Oceanfront Resort is escalating an ongoing legal battle with a company that owns 40 rooms in the Miami Beach condo-hotel.

The Alexander Condominium Association recently sued Soho Realty over control of the valet services at the 300-room tower located at 5225 Collins Avenue. The association accuses Soho of breaching the condo declaration documents by operating unauthorized valet services for its 40 units.

Attorneys for the condo association and Soho declined comment. But according to court documents, both parties have been engaged in acrimonious disputes since Soho purchased the 40 rooms on Jan. 7, 2015. Last year, Soho sued the association for allegedly failing to enforce a condo rule requiring that every guest staying at the Alexander check-in at the lobby’s registration desk.

According to the recent lawsuit filed by the condo association, it claims it had control over the valet parking at the building and had a mutual agreement with the previous owner of the 40 rooms regarding the distribution of valet proceeds, the amount charged to owners and guests, and restrictions in place for the valet operation.

The association alleges that Soho violated the mutual agreement by instituting its own valet service. From February 2015 through June of last year, Soho and the condo association were in negotiations to reach a mutual agreement to have one valet company, the lawsuit states.

After the condo association renewed its contract with Southern Parking Services on July 1, 2016, Soho submitted a misleading application to Miami-Dade County parking administration department for a valet permit without the condo association’s consent or knowledge, the lawsuit alleges.

As a result, Soho started its own valet service that improperly uses the building’s entrance, parking spaces reserved for the association’s valet service, as well as spaces that belong to other unit owners, the lawsuit states. Because of Soho, the condo association’s valet company terminated its agreement. Soho also refused to remove its valet parking service and continued to use the spaces it didn’t have authority to use, according to the suit.

The association claims two residents filed lawsuits against it that cited Soho’s unauthorized valet service as a problem.

On Jan. 17, the condo association’s lawyer sent a cease and desist letter to stop providing valet services, but two weeks later Soho responded that the board doesn’t have exclusive authority to valet park cars in the building, the lawsuit states. The association is seeking an injunction to stop Soho’s valet services.

And in its lawsuit filed last year, Soho alleges the condo association failed to enforce a rule requiring all owners that rent out their rooms make sure their guests registered at the front desk.