Allegro Condominiums spent nearly $15 million recovering from Hurricane Ian, then became the first Naples condominium to install an AquaFence around the whole building

Allegro Condominiums has installed a removable flood barrier around its Gulf Shore Boulevard property after spending nearly $15 million recovering from Hurricane Ian, Business Observer reporter Anastasia Dawson reported Monday.

The 14-story, 76-unit condominium took on about 38 inches of water during Ian, according to the association. The flooding affected its generator, fire panel and ground-floor electrical equipment, and damaged drywall and flooring.

The new AquaFence installation runs about 870 feet around the property and is engineered for water levels up to 6 feet, the outlet reported. The modular sections can be stored when they are not needed. The association did not disclose the price.

A first approval path in Naples

Business Observer reports that Allegro is the first Naples condominium to complete the city review process for an AquaFence installation. That process covered engineering, anchoring, appearance, deployment and resident access.

That distinction matters more than the hardware. A removable barrier around an entire condominium has to work as a flood-control system without blocking residents or emergency access, and city officials now have one completed review to refer to when another property proposes a similar project.

It is not a guarantee that another association will receive the same approval. Site conditions, engineering and access differ by building. It does mean the next proposal does not begin with a system the city has never reviewed.

The missing number

The installation cost has not been made public. Without it, owners cannot compare the barrier with Allegro's nearly $15 million recovery bill or calculate a per-unit assessment from this project.

No public copy of the association release, city permit record or installation contract was located. The project figures therefore remain attributed to Business Observer and the parties it identified rather than to an underlying public document.

That leaves the financial question open. The verified change is narrower: one Ian-damaged Naples condominium has moved from repairing flood losses to paying for a reusable perimeter defense, and it has completed the local approval process required to put that defense in place.