The owners of a 2,250 square-foot condominium in the Village Spires were seasonal visitors to Florida for decades, visiting a parent in Fort Lauderdale and renting for the winter in the Stuart area, but when they decided to buy in 2010 they chose Vero.
“Vero caught our eye because we thought it was a great community,” one of the owners says. “We didn’t want Lauderdale or Boca. And we didn’t want Miami. We were looking for a quaint community where we would be able to walk to the beach and to a lot of restaurants and shops. This turned out to be the perfect location.”
And the husband and wife from Toronto bought the double unit on the 10th floor of the south tower at the perfect time – at the bottom of the oceanfront real estate market when even the finest and most desirable properties were going at a steep discount.
Their spacious 3-bedroom, 3-bath unit with a wraparound balcony offering ocean and island views that stretch for a dozen miles in every direction fits in that category – most-desirable – especially for anyone who wants to combine Vero’s quiet beach lifestyle with high-rise living.
Built in 1973, and completely remodeled after the 2004-05 storms, the Village Spires are the only high-rise option on Vero’s beachfront. Technically, the steel reinforced concrete towers are mid-rise buildings, but they are considered high-rise here.
Many in Vero Beach are prejudiced against soaring towers on the oceanfront, and city height restrictions imposed after the Village Spires were built prohibit such construction. People here tend to associate mid-rise and high-rise buildings with the kind of South Florida density and traffic they came Vero to escape. But there is no denying the aesthetic appeal and sensual pleasure of living high above the earth, enjoying sweeping views and cooling breezes.
Because the buildings are canted to the coastline, the unit, which takes up half the 10th floor in the south tower, has views to north as well as in the three other cardinal directions.
On a recent warm and sunny Wednesday, the view to the north from the city-side balcony took in the bright, busy Mediterranean-looking public beach at Jaycee Park and miles of misty coastline; to the west we looked out over what appeared to be a forest (actually the subdivision streets between Live Oak and Beachland Boulevard, though no houses were visible) extending to the lagoon with the mainland beyond; the southern view extended to the condo towers far off on North Hutchinson Island; to the east was open ocean, stretching to a horizon line approximately 13 miles away.
“We bought this place knowing there would be great ocean views, but we did not anticipate the wonderful city views,” says one of the owners. “The agent didn’t stress that, but the first night here we discovered the lights of the town and bridge are spectacular.”
“The spires is the only condominium that gives you floor to ceiling windows, and this unit is perfect for enjoying both the sunrise and the sunset,” says Norris & Company agent Beth Livers, who recently listed the condominium for $1,595,000.
The high balconies come in handy on special occasions, too.
“This is a prime viewing spot for the Christmas Parade!” says Livers of the west-facing balcony.
“We have a party at that time each year and invite friends and neighbors over for drinks and to watch the parade,” says one of the owners.
The interior of the condo, which is being sold furnished, perfectly suits its exhilarating location 110 feet above the surf. It’s filled with light-colored beachy furniture and bright works of art. Floors are Brazilian cherry wood in some rooms, marble inlaid with mosaic tile in others. The kitchen is a masterpiece of contemporary elegance that still maintains the beach vibe with solid wood bead-board cabinets, some with imported Italian glass fronts. The appliances are top of the line: Viking, Sub-Zero and Bosch.
Most condos in the 50-unit tower are approximately 1,112 square feet, but the prior owners of this property hired Croom construction to take out a concrete wall and join two units into one as part of the renovation after the storms. The project created a well-integrated, flowing space that includes a living room, dining room and master suite on the ocean side, a gracious foyer, laundry room, kitchen and den in the center and a family room and second master suite on the city side.
The den has a closet and is adjacent to one of three full bathrooms so it is counted as bedroom.
The entire building was renovated at the same time the unit was joined and upgraded. All owners paid a $190,000 assessment to repair storm damage, reinforce the tower structure, upgrade and modernize its appearance, install extremely heavy-duty wind-resistant windows and sliding doors and make other improvements.
The owners had Croom Construction back to add additional custom features when they bought the home in 2010, and whoever buys this amazing property will be getting a luxurious, totally-upgraded home that meets all current building codes.
Condo fees for the double unit are about $14,000 a year according to the owners. They say the condo board is very well run, with no issues, and that they have wonderful neighbors.
Building amenities include an oceanfront pool and clubhouse with meeting space and an exercise area. The heart of central beach is just a few short blocks away, and the Vero Beach Hotel and Spa is right next door – which comes in handy for dinner and drinks and as a place for overflow guests who are out from underfoot but still close at hand.
