Attention San Clemente Cove Owners

[Ddee555]

I am a new owner at SCC and had the opportunity to stay a few weeks ago for the first time. I loved it and I will be returning next week for Christmas.

Well, I want owners to know that the general manager, Shannon, is holding weekly owners meetings to discuss things of interest for owners. The main issue being the hot tub which needs to be made ADA-compliant by 2022. Last year, a survey was taken and 60% of the owners wanted to keep the hot tub. But, that was before any costs were considered.

Now, however, after the Board of Directors had a company look at how much it would take to make the hot tub ADA-compliant, it seems likely it would cost upwards of $345,000 due to the unique structure of SCC. Also, making the hot tub ADA-compliant would take away part of the oceanview for the nearby studio unit, so that would affect 52 owners. The company that was engaged to give the estimate is the same company that did the spa renovations for Coronado Beach Resort and Southern California Beach Club.

I am also an owner at Coronado Beach Resort and I can vouch for the great job that the company did on our rooftop deck. However, the costs were far less because Coronado had more space to work with and the building is a bit newer than SCC. With SCC, the space is much tighter and when they rip open the area, there will likely be dry rot and other issues due to being so close to the beach. Hence, the $345,000 price tag.

I'm OK with not keeping the hot tub and just expanding the interior of the owners lounge and outside deck. However, without the hot tub, I would think that would drop the Silver Crown rating for SCC(?). What does a resort need to have for Silver Crown?

Meanwhile, here are suggestions that I have discussed with Shannon that I hope to follow up on next week when I stay:

1) San Clemente has two public swimming pools. It would be nice if SCC could offer one day or weekly passes at a resident rate since owners do pay taxes every year. https://www.san-clemente.org/recreation-community/aquatics/pool-locations

2) Many owners have expressed interest in having a relationship with a local hotel similar to what Coronado Beach Resort has with the Loews Coronado Bay Resort. However, there are not really any options in San Clemente. The Volare Hotel up the street has a swimming pool with spa and small gym, but personally, I do not see much value in this, unless there is a restaurant with a discount. If owners are interested in Capistrano Beach or Dana Point (about 3-6 miles away), there might be better hotels to forge a relationship with. The one thing with the Loews is that they provide a free shuttle so the 5 mile distance does not matter much for people who stay at Coronado.

3) Currently, SCC offers $5 day passes to a local gym just up the street. However, in January, a new Lifetime Fitness luxury health club is opening up in San Clemente. I have suggested to Shannon that SCC inquire about a business partnership--either offering free weekly access or discounted passes for SCC owners and guests. https://my.lifetime.life/clubs/ca/rancho-san-clemente.html

If anyone has any ideas or suggestions, please share here and I will ask Shannon when I stay at SCC next week.

 

[Ddee555]

Here is some info about the Lifetime Fitness Club ("Rancho San Clemente") that is opening in January:

Besides the standard cardio, free weight and weight machines, there is:

* childcare for infants to 11-year olds

* fitness studios featuring hundreds of classes for free

* outdoor lap pool
* outdoor leisure pool
* indoor and outdoor whirlpools
* sauna
* steam room

* spa (hair and nails, massage, skin care)

* outdoor tennis courts

* Two dining options - health conscious cafe and poolside bistro

* Bar and lounge

https://my.lifetime.life/clubs/ca/rancho-san-clemente.html

 

[Ddee555]

Well, I am currently having a very pleasant Christmas week here at SCC. The owners meeting was cancelled for the week due to the holiday, but that is OK, as Shannon will continue to hold them in the future so she can hear feedback from all the owners. Meanwhile, Santa Clause did come to visit, which was great for the kids staying here and I think that is a nice touch that they do every year here at SCC.

 

[BJRSanDiego]

IMHO, the $345K doesn't pass the sniff test. I own at Marriott Desert Springs and they are replacing the ADA chairs at a couple of their pools and spas. Their budgeted costs are only a small fraction of what you mentioned. As an individual, you can buy a chair lift for your home pool or spa for a few thousand dollars. Even considering the upcharge for a timeshare and its bureaucracy, $345K is Wayyyy out of wack - - in my opinion.

 

[pedro47]

$345 is lot for this project. Sounds liked the owners needs an itemized breakdown of the project. IMO.
Start to finish Dates , contractor name, credential, Costs, materials, labor, etc.

 

[skimble]

I owned at the SCC for many years. For a few reasons, I sold it.
For my family, the San Clemente Inn made a lot more sense. There's a pool, jacuzzi, gym, game room, tennis, volleyball and more... If you were looking for a coop relationship to use amenities, maybe look to the SCI.
San Clemente is a difficult city to deal with when it comes to ADA and permitting. You want to fix your jacuzzi? The city will ask you to enhance your restroom with a wider floor plan. At the SCI, we wanted an elevator. We got the money, applied for permits, bought the elevator... and then the city came in with their demands. They wanted a wider doorway to the bathrooms, better access in the bathroom and a litany of other expensive upgrades. The elevator had to be put off until we could afford to make the ADA upgrades.
(My details may be off a bit but)... that elevator sat in storage for about 5 years before the association could get it permitted. The city kept coming in with demands for other ADA improvements. The city of San Clemente is a political beast... improvements move VERY slowly... permits for improvements always have strings attached.

 

[turkel]

My mom lives in San Clemente right down the road from the San Clemente Inn. She wanted to add a downstairs master so she could age in place. Was denied several times they said she had to have a 3 car garage for a 5 bedroom home even though she lives alone. Her pie shaped lot would not accommodate a third garage. She had to threaten to sue for ADA discrimination to get approval. I totally understand the difficulty these timeshares would have with the city. It’s a really nice place though. Definitely have dinner at Nic’s, South of Nic’s, and lunch at Brussels yum.

 

[Harry]

The Cove is a great place, location wise. It has been awhile since we have been there but I recall the hot tub is located in strange place??
Because of its close relationship wth SCI (same management and check in procedures) it seem to be an easy solution to offer usage to the pool and spas at SCI. Your manager Shannon should pursue this with VRI and Lisa at SCI.

 

[skimble]

The Cove is a great place, location wise. It has been awhile since we have been there but I recall the hot tub is located in strange place??
Because of its close relationship wth SCI (same management and check in procedures) it seem to be an easy solution to offer usage to the pool and spas at SCI. Your manager Shannon should pursue this with VRI and Lisa at SCI.

There is no relationship between SCI and SCC. SCI is managed by VRI, and SCC is managed by GPR.