A pair of buyers at a Sunny Isles Beach condo project are suing developer Trump Group over alleged construction defects and delays that one of them claims were a “complete disaster.”
In separate lawsuits filed in Miami-Dade Circuit Court, the buyers allege they have not been able to enjoy their purchased units at Estates at Acqualina, a waterfront two-tower complex at 17901 Collins Avenue. The plaintiffs are suing for unspecified damages.
“The developer has consistently acted in good faith and responded to unit-related matters in a timely and professional manner,” a Trump Group spokesperson said in a statement. “To the extent any concerns remained outstanding, they were not brought to our attention through the proper channels.”
An affiliate of Aventura-based Trump Group, led by Jules and Eddie Trump, completed the project in 2022 under duress caused by a bitter legal war with the developer’s then-general contractor Suffolk Construction. The developers are not related to President Donald Trump.
Trump Group and Suffolk are locked in a pending 5-year-old lawsuit and counter-claim in Miami-Dade Circuit Court over issues relating to delays, payment, quality of the work and the construction workforce. The developer fired Suffolk in 2023, a year after both sides went to court.
The fallout led to Trump Group’s latest troubles with two disgruntled buyers.
In a Feb. 2 complaint, Ruben Salama alleged he and his family were unable to enjoy their four-bedroom condominium and the amenities within Estates at Acquilina between 2022 and 2025, when he was an owner. Salama bought his 18th floor unit for $4.2 million in 2022 and sold it last year for $7.5 million, records show.
Still, Salama claims he lost $1 million on the sale because more than two dozen potential buyers passed on his unit due to nonstop repairs by Trump Group, the lawsuit alleges.
“Overall, it was a complete disaster during the Salama family’s tenure at the building.” the complaint states. “Due to the amount of scaffolding and constant construction at the building, the Salama family could not find willing buyers at any of the 20-25 showings they conducted.”
Salama’s attorney did not respond to a request for comment. A Trump Group spokesperson said the developer will not comment on the specific allegations in Salama’s complaint.
“We were not made aware of any outstanding issues, and there are no pending matters with respect to that unit,” the spokesperson said.
The Salamas allege that they were forced to live in “a constant construction zone infested with mold, flood damage, leaks, cracked flooring, rusted pipes and broken elevators.”
Between 2022 and 2025, most of the amenities, including a golf simulator, a wellness center, a soccer field, a Wall Street trading room and a dog park, were unusable due to construction defects, the Salamas alleged.
In the other lawsuit, filed on March 23, an entity managed by Gerardo Gonzalez Giron in Houston alleges that his 5,000-square-foot condo was incomplete and inadequate when he closed on the unit in 2024. Giron’s entity paid $10.6 million, records show.
Among the defects was a malfunctioning elevator system that Trump Group failed to repair, Giron’s lawsuit alleges. The developer allegedly got it to work for one week and then it “ceased functioning again.”
Giron’s entity also alleges that Trump Group and its work crews commandeered a terrace and a private pool adjacent to his unit a week after he closed. He was unable to access either for a year because the developer’s contractors used it as a staging area, Giron’s lawsuit alleges.
Meanwhile, Giron’s entity was still required to pay $12,000 a month in assessments, which the unit owner hasn’t paid since August 2024, the complaint states.
His client “remains committed to resolving this matter efficiently but will pursue all available remedies to hold the developer accountable and protect its property rights,” said Fernando Prego, the attorney for Giron’s entity.
“The temporary limitation of use relating to the resident’s balcony was the result of necessary overhead protection for work undertaken by the developer to address contractor-related construction repairs,” the Trump Group spokesperson said. “Any access to and use of the balcony area was expressly permitted under the condominium’s governing documents, as acknowledged in the complaint.”
Moreover, the unit was “unoccupied for a significant period while the owner was undertaking extensive interior renovations,” and that Trump Group conducted repairs “with a high degree of care, prioritizing a thorough, long-term resolution over expediency, with the goal of ensuring the integrity, safety, and long-term value of the property,” the developer’s spokesperson said.