Observer YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
REAL ESTATE SALES 7 AUGUST 2019
VOLUME 6, NO. 1
Reverse osmosis treatment project begins JULIE MURPHY
EASY AS PIE Express pizzeria cooks up wonders outside Plantation Bay. PAGE 4
FLAGLER COUNTY PIO
Flagler County’s contractor, Sawcross Inc., is on location at Plantation Bay and marks the beginning of the Reverse Osmosis Treatment Facility project, which will improve the quality of the drinking water. “It is very early in the project, but it is wonderful to let residents know the end is in sight,” said County Engineer Faith Alkhatib. “This project will be completed in one year – July 2020.” The project includes: demolition of existing piping; installation of new yard piping, including connections to the existing water treatment plant and the wastewater treatment facility; construction of a booster pump station; construction of a sewage lift station; construction of a new reverse osmosis building; furnishing and installing reverse osmosis process equipment, including enhanced raw water pretreatment clarification, automated disinfection and chemical feed systems; the removal and replacement of backwash pumps; and, other site improvements. The entire project cost, including a contingency for unforeseen conditions, is $6.54 million. Of that amount, $3.75 is being funded through a State Revolving Fund loan. Another $1.56 million is from a Florida Department of Environmental Protection grant. Water Impact Fee reserves of $1.23 million rounds out the funding. The facility is also on track with Phase 1 work near completion. Also, 90% of the Phase 2 design work finished. Documentation has been provided to the state to secure funding.
Rita Curovic, of Giuseppe’s NY Pizza & Pasta Express, makes everything from scratch.
Moving in? Mind your POD HOA Board debates how long PODs should be allowed in driveways. PAGE 2
From dentistry to sales ICI Homes Vice President Ali Kargar on past and future of Plantation Bay JOEY PELLEGRINO CONTRIBUTING WRITER
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Photo by Paola Rodriguez
Ali Kargar was a dentist before he started selling homes, and he believes both jobs achieve the same goal: providing relief. “In dentistry, people come to you in pain and expect to leave without it,” Kargar said. “Buying a home is an overwhelming process; how can we break it down and make it easier?” Yet the corporate vice president of the company that masterminded Plantation Bay hasn’t touched a tooth since April 2005, when ICI Homes founder Mori Hosseini (his uncle) offered him work in the family business. Kargar said his current job doesn’t feel like work: “I come to work excited every morning.”
Plantation Bay’s residents have much to be excited about, too. The development celebrated its 2,000th home in March, and Kargar said another 2,500 are currently planned. “What you see is only the beginning of the bigger picture,” Kargar said of Plantation Bay’s current state. New floor plans and new home features are in the works for future homes. He was not surprised to see the development reach its March milestone. With little advertising, Kargar said, positive wordof-mouth spread among retirees looking for comfortable homes, bringing many residents who migrated south from the Northeast, including New Jersey. Being the only community in the twocounty area with two and a half private golf courses was a major draw, as was the affordability: Residents can get a home bigger Photo by Paola Rodriguez
SEE REALTOR PAGE 2
Ali Kargar