Locals were predicting it. And it finally happened.
The recent rains flooded the underground garage of the new condo complex at Abbott and Saratoga. Most of the world knows about it because a brand new Lamborghini was submerged in the rainwater – along with 7 other cars in the same garage.
Estimated repair costs are around $600,000.
The flooding occurred at the so-called “million-dollar” condos – a brand new development with a very controversial history.
Screen capture from 7nbc of condo complex underground garage.
The condos and the underground garage were built after years of community opposition to the project – and after umpteen warnings from OBceans about the natural flooding that comes – literally with the territory – the OB beachfront.
It has always flooded in that area. Either from hide tides, big rains – or both – this area has always been subject to overflow water.
Floods at Saratoga Park, Jan. 2010. Photo by Mark Dodge.
Over the years, a popular Ocean Beach dancehall was destroyed by flooding, an old OB police station was flooded, – in fact – the infamous OB Wonderland – was destroyed by natural floods and high tides.
The floods of January 2010. This is the corner of Abbott and Saratoga. Photo by Seth Connolly
Back to the Lamborghini – its owner had just obtained the Huracan 3 days before the rains, and had onlly driven it some 200 miles or so. The owner told the media that he wasn’t worried about the damages, as an insurance claim will help out.
Saratoga (future Ruth Varney Held Park) flooded in Jan 2010. Photo by Mark Dodge.
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Jacoby & Meyers…
our insurance rates just went up ..but wait, isn’t like socialism?
Wow.
Well… they were definitely within their rights to build it that way, as it isn’t an “official” floodplain. Wonder if the developer sold it yet, and if not, if they have liability here? Ditto for the City. Determining the liability of those parties not in the purview of the OBPB, but they were definitely warned about this, no doubt about that. We even handed them color photos of the 2010 flooding and at one point were told by the City that this was the result of insufficient drainage piping by the lifeguard station that was or would be “fixed”.
Guess not.
A new Lamborghini, though!
well at least its supposed to be a dry winter, his new lambo is safe!
The world’s smallest violin for these outsiders
Article doesn’t mention any Harleys, so I suppose no great loss.
Shame about the lambo though. All that water, wouldn’t it get sucked up into the wood structure above the garage?
Insurance pays out even though its a well known flood plain?
TFF!!!
That $600,000 will be absorbed by every resident who garages a car in the zip code no matter what company they insure with.
“Estimated repair costs are around $600,000.”
For the Lambo? 7 other cars? or the structure?
Vehicle water damage labels them “salvage” on the registration, and unable to insure for comp and collision. Consider them “totalled”, factor in “depreciation”, they’re screwed.
Obviously the structure didn’t sustain $600,000 damage, but there’s a price tag attached to correcting the problem with adequate drainage.