facilities enhancement project february 2015

FACILITIES ENHANCEMENT PROJECT
FEBRUARY 2015
MASTER PLANNING ARCHITECTURE INTERIOR DESIGN
Table of Contents
1
From the Board of Directors
3
Lobby, Lounge, and Pre-Function
5
The Grand Ballroom
7
New Signature Restaurant
9
The Grille Room
11
Card Rooms
12
The Pool
13
Fitness and Spa Facilities
15
Esplanade Café and Tennis Facilities
17
Golf Practice Facilities
18
Capital Assessments and Financing
21
Project Timeline and Voting Procedures
Renderings, plans, interiors, and furniture and equipment layouts have not been finalized
and are subject to change.
Website Table of Contents
We have created a special section on our private, members-only website in order to make it
convenient for you to access any information you might want about the Facilities Enhancement
Plan. Whether you are physically at Mirasol or elsewhere, it’s all just a click away!
• Clicking on the Facilities Plan tab in the main menu shown above will take you to the town
hall meeting timeline, which is nearly complete! Click the links to be taken to the pages on
our site where videos of each meeting are located.
• The Virtual Tour webpage has been updated with our exciting, brand-new virtual tour,
narrated by Brian Idle of Peacock + Lewis.
• The Renderings and Plans webpage includes renderings you will see in this booklet and
also some that you won’t! Floor plans are not included in this booklet, but you will be able to
find them on this webpage as well. Click the thumbnails to expand each view.
• The Town Hall Meetings webpage includes videos and slides from all pertinent Facilities
Enhancement Plan sessions that were not financial in nature. Those are found in the next tab.
• The Financial Details webpage includes all financial town hall meeting videos and slide
presentations. You are encouraged to download all slides prior to viewing.
• The Voting webpage includes electronic copies of this booklet, the proxy/ballot, and details
about voting procedures.
• On the Temporary Facilities webpage, you will be able to click a thumbnail picture of the
plan for alternate facilities that will be used during construction.
• The Communication webpage holds all of the email messages sent out by the Strategic
Planning Committee and the MCA Board of Directors since the start of the master planning
process.
• On the FAQs webpage, you can download a list of frequently asked questions regarding
the Plan.
• The Surveys and Benchmark Data webpage holds comparative data from other similar
clubs in our area, including dues, assessment, and real estate information.
• Our About the Team webpage details the talented and dedicated members involved in the
planning process, as well as the world-class team that has been assembled to ensure that
the needs and wishes of our membership are met.
A letter from the Board of Directors
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
As a community, we have much invested in this upcoming final vote for the Facilities Enhancement
Project - both emotionally and financially. The process we have taken to get to this point has been
robust and comprehensive assimilating two years of feedback from 1,458 member surveys, focus groups
involving over 100 members and local realtors, input from the almost 900 members who attended over
39 sessions prior to the first vote, and further input from the over 600 members who have attended one
of 28 information sessions since. This plan reflects extensive member input.
It has been shaped by the decisions to:
• take a long-term perspective for the community and define a vision for our facilities for the next 10+ years
• create one integrated plan, the best plan that a committee involving thirteen dedicated members
could develop
• bring this vision to the membership in the form of a conceptual plan and invest significantly to do the
engineering and design work necessary to develop a firm financial picture prior to moving forward
We think it is important to go back and recap why we chose to take this path, as the history puts this
very important vote into context. It explains why the plan is more extensive than some may have initially
expected, and why this second vote is even more critical than the first.
By way of history, Mirasol’s developer, like most, built our facilities knowing they would not adequately
accommodate a fully built-out community. This was simply part of their business model. Mirasol was built
rapidly, with our last new homes sold over four years ago. With the same number of members, each year
since, we have far exceeded the record-breaking usage of the prior year. As members and residents,
we are spending more time here and making increased use of the facilities. Trends in country club living
suggest this is likely to continue as demand continues to grow for more leisure activities along with
more focus on health and wellness. Our conclusion: Expansion is required.
The Mirasol property, while extensive in acreage, is land-locked as it relates to our ability to expand
buildings. The land on which the current Esplanade sits is prime land, however, it is underutilized based
on both the V-shape of the structure and its inability to support a second floor. The Strategic Planning
Committee benefited from visiting surrounding clubs and learned from their expansion experiences.
Most importantly, the recurring and strong advice was to do it right the first time and plan for the long
term. They cautioned that multiple-step renovations with multiple smaller assessments coupled with
the associated disruptions resulted in higher costs, suboptimal solutions, and prolonged community
tension. Our conclusion: Take a long-term perspective.
The hurdle for passing any capital assessment in our community is the highest of any club in the area,
requiring the support of one more than 50% of all homes. Offering multiple options to the membership
would likely result in none of the options offered clearing our hurdle. Our conclusion: Offer one
integrated plan that reflects the best effort to cost-effectively balance the diverse needs of our
active community for the long-term.
We fully realize that few members, if any, will take advantage of all the amenities being proposed, but
we hope the plan contains something for everyone. This is community living. You may not take fitness
classes, but your neighbor may. You may not play cards today, but you may in the future. You may never
use a card room or the spa, but a future buyer may. If we had to achieve our high voting threshold for
the improvement of each amenity incrementally, we might never enhance anything. Our conclusion:
Develop a comprehensive and integrated plan that maintains the high standard we have all come
to expect at Mirasol across all our amenities.
1
As noted, the process utilized over the last twenty months has been comprehensive and robust, with
efforts to seek member input each step along the way. The committee spent nine months working
diligently to assess conceptual designs to meet our changing needs. They developed, costed, reviewed
and debated countless options and alternatives, rejecting over thirty draft plans before reaching their
ultimate recommendation.
After the first vote, the committee worked to refine the plans to address some of the issues raised.
Resulting modifications included a smaller Esplanade building and reconfigured exercise studios and
aquatics area without eliminating or changing any functionality. We committed that we would determine
whether plans for the golf courses over the coming years would require an assessment. The Golf Course
Planning Committee was formed and has considered the critical needs of our golf courses over the long
term and has determined that we can care for the golf course needs without an additional assessment.
With that assurance, the Golf Course Planning Committee can continue its work and take the general
plans to a more detailed hole-by-hole plan over the coming months.
The many town hall meetings, detailed financials, and letter from the Finance Committee all convey
that Mirasol is in sound financial shape and can undertake this project without compromising our solid
financial position. In addition to the assessments we will all pay, our capital reserves will contribute
to the funding of this plan - that is their purpose. Further, even with the addition of the assessment
and operating impact of the completed plan, Mirasol dues remain competitively positioned against
comparable platinum level communities locally.
Why do we support this plan? Mirasol is a unique community. We have the benefit of two great golf
courses, beautiful and expansive property due to the preserves, and a youthfulness that is the envy
of many clubs. We have outgrown our facilities. The clubs in our area who compete for homebuyers
have all upgraded their facilities to varying degrees. We ask new home buyers to buy a Sports or Golf
membership for 90 or 130 thousand dollars. It is important that the value of our memberships and
experience living in Mirasol remains competitive. By the time this plan, if passed, is implemented, it will
be almost thirteen years since the opening of the Clubhouse. It is time. Let’s do it right, let’s do it once,
get through the disruption and enjoy fabulous facilities for many years to come.
The membership approved this vision conceptually with the first vote, but we understood that many
were reserving final judgment until the detailed plans were developed and the financial picture was
firm. We are there. The total project cost is slightly lower than estimated at the time of the first vote, the
monthly assessments are slightly lower and over a six-month shorter period of time, and the operating
impact is expected to be in the range or slightly lower than initially estimated. As a community, we
approved a conceptual plan and invested $2 million to progress to this point. The picture has only
improved. Now it is up to each of you. Without the explicit support in this vote of over fifty percent of the
membership, this plan cannot continue to move forward. We urge each and every member to take the
time to ask questions, learn the facts, form your own opinion, and please vote.
Sincerely,
Pat Russo
President
Tobi D’Andrea
Vice President
Don Snider
Treasurer
Percy Kavasmaneck
Secretary
Philip Bullen
D. Drew Davis
Monty Davis
Michael Quittman
2
LOBBY, LOUNGE, AND
PRE-FUNCTION SPACES
3
There have been many words used to
describe our lobby, but “expansive”
would likely not have been one of
them. Enter your new clubhouse...
From the moment you walk through
the entrance (shown at right), you are
struck by the exciting and dramatic
expanse. Our new plan exudes
openness and capitalizes on our most
scenic real estate - our golf courses.
The lobby opens to the pre-function
space, (top and left) which is open
to the newly-expanded ballroom. By
moving the kitchen out of the center of
the building, we are able to appreciate
the views of our golf practice area
and championship courses from
all of these spaces, and enable a
much-needed reconfiguration and
expansion of our kitchen.
4
5
THE GRAND BALLROOM
The Gardenia and Magnolia Rooms (middle and bottom left,
respectively) are more cohesively integrated with the Orchid
Ballroom (shown above), providing you with a better experience,
regardless of where your party may be seated. The new design
can also accommodate more members for dinner dances, holiday
and family events, and dining traditions.
The balcony off the Magnolia Room will enable us to offer an
expanded seating area for popular dining and social events and
will provide a top-notch location from which to enjoy Sunday
night barbecues, as compared to our current outdoor area at the
top of the stairs! The balcony will also expand our offerings for
your neighborhood events, providing a beautiful area for a prefunction cocktail party.
We are confident you will find the enhanced facility inviting, warm,
and comfortable for you, your family, and your guests.
6
Dine in elegance, be welcomed like family! That’s what you can expect
from the new upscale dining experience that will replace our current
lounge. For those nights when you want something more sophisticated
than the casual ambiance of the Grille Room, the Facility Enhancement
Plan includes a fabulous new alternative to the current ballroom setting.
This stylish and intimate restaurant will provide the perfect place for Chef
Michael to showcase his extensive culinary talents for you and your guests.
Since arriving at Mirasol, Chef Michael has been literally caring for and
feeding our 1,170 families. In those four short years, food and beverage
sales have increased by 60% - serving the same 1,170 families. But we
think Mirasol has even more of an appetite for this new venue. Enjoy
food that will rival any Palm Beach restaurant, in a beautiful and warm
setting - from the comfort of your home. And it will always be available
to members and their guests, even when there is a special event taking
place at the Club.
We believe this new signature restaurant will become a member favorite
in no time!
7
NEW
SIGNATURE
RESTAURANT
8
THE GRILLE ROOM
Our expanded Grille Room will feature
a variety of dining and drinking venues.
Table seating will be available in addition
to banquettes, which will provide a natural
separation from the high top tables
surrounding the bar, shown above.
In addition to a full-service meal, members
and their guests can enjoy walking up to
the carving and action stations, a salad bar,
and a variety of options for a quick bite.
9
A fabulous display kitchen will add to the
ambiance of this destination restaurant,
which will offer close to 50% more seating
under air than our current Grille Room.
The U-shaped bar (shown above beyond
the high top tables) will promote afterdinner camaraderie and after-sporting
activities and will provide views of the
covered dining loggia and exterior dining
patio. Televisions will be displayed for ease
of viewing from every seat in the space.
Outdoor dining options abound! The
covered patio (shown below) offers a
picturesque setting with both fire and
water features, and lush landscaping.
The rooftop extension shown on the
cover page, will be accessible by two
decorative staircases. These outdoor
options will both be great locations for
dining or Happy Hour al fresco.
10
CARD
ROOMS
Game time is about to be even more enjoyable! Our inviting new Ladies’ Card
Room (shown above) is separated into two sections by doors to ensure that you
and your guests can play in the atmosphere of your choosing. And, did we mention
how spacious it is? The expanded space will accommodate current demand and
anticipated future growth.
And, gone are the days of scavenging for suitable space for co-ed games! Our new
Co-Ed Card Room (shown below) will be a comfortable space for men and women
alike to enjoy our popular Duplicate Bridge sessions and other pastimes. The space
will easily convert to a meeting room when it is not in use for cards, making it a
valuable multipurpose space for member meetings and functions.
11
THE POOL
Mirasol’s active membership is the
envy of many south Florida country
club communities. Our new facilities
include features designed to attract
and retain this edge. Take advantage
of our new, versatile, activity pools
(shown at the top of the above
picture) fit for water sports, water
aerobics, and lap swimmers that
provide an alternative to and a little
separation from the serenity of the
main pool.
Bring the kids and grandkids to
the beach-entry pool with the
shooting water features (above
left) for them to splash and enjoy.
If you want to escape, the hot tub
is nearby, yet privately separated
with lush landscaping… all this
while maintaining the beauty of our
coveted main pool.
12
FITNESS AND
SPA FACILITIES
13
Feel the energy of the experience of your
choice simply by entering the Esplanade
Lobby. The grand, yet welcoming entrance
(shown at the bottom left) will lead you to the
fitness floor, or you may want to escape into
the serene spa through the calming hallway
(seen to the right). Beyond the spa entrance
you will find a truly tranquil spa setting
including separate wet and dry lounges for
men and women (a wet lounge is viewable
in the center of the opposite page).
Fitness features you can expect include:
• 85% more fitness studio space
(featured above)
• Dedicated Spin room
• Two group exercise rooms for a 111%
increase in space
• Group Pilates, in addition to two private
Pilates studios
• Convenient physical therapy area
The new Esplanade facilities will provide
you with the environment that you should
expect at Mirasol.
14
ESPLANADE
CAFÉ
AND
TENNIS
FACILITIES
15
Do you love the social aspect of morning bagels
but not the carbs? Or maybe you’re coming from a
workout, tennis game, or a day at the pool and you
don’t want to dry off or dress for the Grille Room. Stop
into the new Esplanade café where the fitness theme
carries right into the menu. The interior of the café can
be seen above, and the exterior is below.
Open every day for breakfast and lunch, it will be a
great place to drop in for something healthy and you
will be able to enjoy the fresh setting inside or poolside
(shown below). Perhaps you would prefer to bring
a little something back to the new tennis shop and
lounge (shown at bottom right) where you can gather
with your friends to watch the matches or just relax.
16
GOLF PRACTICE FACILITIES
The enhanced Practice Area and Driving Range will now feature:
•
•
•
•
•
•
A new return cart path off both the Sunrise and Sunset hole 18s
More hitting space around the chipping area with Celebration grass and extended cart path access
A new landscaped berm separating Sunset 18 and the chipping area
A new fairway bunker hitting out to the targets on the range and access to a new chipping green
A new putting green next to the driving range
An enlarged single-level driving range tee box with Celebration grass, including one strip of
Astroturf on the front edge of the tee box
• A new arrangement of hitting targets out on the range floor
17
This project could start June 1 and reopen October 1 or sooner, depending on the weather. Eight
temporary hitting cages with nets will be located behind the Pro Shop during construction so that you
will have a facility in which to warm up prior to your tee time.
Capital Assessments and Financing
We have been offered financing of the project under the following terms:
• Maximum loan amount of $30,000,000
• Loan term of 144 months
• Loan structure is a revolving line of credit during construction, followed by amortization to
arrive at full repayment at the end of 144 months.
• Interest rate is floating at 30-day LIBOR plus 135 basis points, adjusted monthly. An interest
rate cap set at 5% will insulate Mirasol from the risk of increasing rates over the entire
duration of the facility term, limiting the maximum interest rate to 5%.
• Collateral for the loan is an assignment of all annual dues and special assessments in event
of default.
Loan Repayment
The loan will be repaid by a combination of reserve funds and member assessments. The
assessment by membership type, by month is as follows:
Golf Members - $172 per month
Sports Members - $169 per month
Social Members - $99 per month
As an alternative to the monthly payment by membership type described above, members
may choose to prepay these amounts in advance. The prepayment amounts and the savings
associated with the prepayment are as follows:
Membership
Type
Monthly
Assessment
Total
Pre-Payment
Pre-Payment
=
Assessment
Savings
Amount
Golf
$172
x 144 mo.
$24,768
$4,193
$20,575
Sports
$169
x 144 mo.
$24,336
$4,136
$20,200
Social
$99
x 144 mo.
$14,256
$2,356
$11,900
The period to elect the prepayment option will end on April 15, 2015. If a member leaves the
community, selling their home and membership, they will be entitled to a pro-rated refund, on a
daily basis, of the 144-month period, with the calculation being done on the day of home closing.
If a member who has elected the monthly payment option leaves the community, the monthly
assessment will stop on the day of closing and the new buyer will assume responsibility for the
monthly assessment.
Whether you were unable to join us or would like a refresher, you are encouraged to review
the videos from our January 26 and February 2 Financial Town Hall sessions.
Visit www.mirasolcc.com and enter your username and password to access our private,
members-only website. From there, the financial presentations can be viewed on the Financial
Details page that is located within the Facilities Plan section of the main website menu.
18
Project Timeline and Voting Procedures
Project Timeline
Pending approval on the permit process from the City of Palm Beach Gardens, the proposed
construction timeline is as follows:
Clubhouse construction: June 1, 2015 - February 28, 2016
Esplanade construction: June 1, 2015 - June 1, 2016
The following services will be provided in temporary facilities:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Dining
Group fitness classes
Fitness studio
Tennis
Cards (men’s, women’s, and co-ed)
Manicures and pedicures
Special Interest Clubs
We will also enjoy reciprocal arrangements at local clubs for various additional services and
amenities, including pool usage. Details will follow.
Voting Procedures
Where?
All members eligible to vote will receive proxy/ballots in the U.S. Mail at the address currently
registered with the Membership Office. Additionally, proxy/ballots will be available online and
at the Reception Desk.
How?
Follow the instructions listed on the proxy/ballot and return the completed document in any of
the following ways:
• Ballot box located near the Reception Desk in the Clubhouse
• By mail in the self-addressed and stamped envelope to Daszkal Bolton LLP, Attn. Alexandra
Halic, 2401 NW Boca Raton Boulevard, Boca Raton, FL 33431
• By fax to Daszkal Bolton LLP at (561) 961-2766
• By email (scan completed form) to Alexandra Halic at [email protected]
When?
Completed ballots must be received in the ballot box at the Clubhouse or at Daszkal Bolton no
later than 5 p.m. on Monday, March 16, 2015. All members are encouraged to vote as soon as
possible.
19
Results
A Special Meeting will take place in the Main Dining Room on Monday, March 16, 2015 at 5 p.m.
Notes
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE
Pat Russo
President
Tobi D’Andrea & Don Snider
Co-Chairs
Tobi D’Andrea
Vice President
STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE
Allan Arker
Larry Goldstein
Michael O’Donoghue
Andee Sussman
Percy Kavasmaneck
Secretary
Don Snider
Treasurer
Eric Ende
Jule Grandonico
Neen Hunt
Len Shendell
MCA FINANCE COMMITTEE
Ed Bonder
Armand Epstein
Joel Gazes
Andreas Georghiou
Curtis Gimson
Rick Palmer
Mark Reisman
Bob Shapiro
Larry Shapiro
Philip Bullen
D. Drew Davis
Monty Davis
Michael Quittman
STRATEGIC PLANNING
FINANCE SUBCOMMITTEE
Joel Glodowski
Stephen Karpf
Mark Reisman
PROJECT TEAM
ARCHITECTURAL FIRM: Peacock + Lewis
OWNER’S REPRESENTATIVE: Zabik & Associates
GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Weitz Construction
INTERIOR DESIGN FIRM FOR ESPLANADE: Peacock + Lewis
INTERIOR DESIGN FIRM FOR CLUBHOUSE: Image Design
CIVIL ENGINEER: Mock Roos
LAND PLANNER: Urban Design Kilday Studios
KITCHEN PLANNER: DEI Food Service Equipment and Design
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT: Krent Wieland Design, Inc.
VISION STATEMENT
MISSION STATEMENT
Mirasol will continue to be recognized
as one of the outstanding private club
communities noted for its aesthetic beauty,
casual elegance, exceptional amenities,
community spirit, and excellent service to its
members and guests.
Mirasol is a member-owned, private
country club community whose purpose
is to create uniquely satisfying golf,
recreational, and social experiences for
members, their families, and guests in an
unpretentious atmosphere with outstanding
personalized service and fiscally responsible
management.
We will maintain a caring environment
where active people of diverse interests
enjoy a superior quality of life and leisure.
THE COUNTRY CLUB AT MIRASOL
11600 Mirasol Way
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418
(561) 776-4949  www.mirasolcc.com