DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Nearly four years after Hurricane Ian forced the closure of the historic Plaza Resort and Spa, there is still no clear timeline for when repairs will begin.
During a hearing Tuesday, a special magistrate ordered property owner Jonathan Eid to have permits in hand and a construction plan ready by Dec. 8.
The property was declared noncompliant in August over more than a dozen code violations. Eid has since faced hundreds of dollars in daily fines as the city continues pushing for repairs.
Tuesday’s hearing marked the third involving the property since August and the first time Channel 9 saw Eid speak directly about the delays.
Eid said he is waiting on engineers before permits can be obtained. His explanation frustrated the special magistrate, who emphasized the landmark property’s importance to Daytona Beach.
“You don’t need to bother me with the minutia. This is a very important building to Daytona Beach,” the special magistrate told Eid.
A previous Channel 9 investigation found that Eid received more than $20 million in insurance payments following Hurricane Ian, while city officials said no repair permits had been pulled at the time.
Since then, an active permit has been issued for work involving the beach approach tunnel and the building’s lobby. A required state inspection has also been completed, and an engineering firm has been secured to help develop a construction plan.
However, the special magistrate made clear that progress reports are not enough. He wants specific answers about when construction will begin.
The magistrate also ordered the people who can speak directly to the construction timeline to attend the next hearing.
The Dec. 8 deadline puts additional pressure on Eid to move the long-delayed repairs forward as the city continues addressing the property’s outstanding code violations.
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