The 17 units of the Sun Dek Beach House have Flexsteel queen-size sofa beds and chairs for the living rooms,
as well as matching bedding, dinnerware and pictures on the wall.
Sun Dek managers Lonny Wolfe (left) and Gloria McMillan greet visiting guest Holly Lathrop.
Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star
By Jane Smith
The Sun Dek Beach House now sports a bright and beachy look.
“It was a crappy property that I thought we could renovate and make it better,” said new owner Robert Wolfenden. Although he is based in California, his wife is from Delray Beach and he’s often stayed at Crane’s BeachHouse Hotel & Tiki Bar. His company also owns a shopping center in West Palm Beach.
When staying at Crane’s, he had to walk about one and a half blocks to get to the beach, but the Sun Dek sits across Ocean Boulevard from beach access. He also likes the Ocean Ridge complex for its proximity to the inlet for those who want to go ocean fishing.
He saw the Sun Dek property listing on LoopNet.com, an online commercial real estate sales site. His company paid $1.5 million for it in March 2011, according to the county property records. Built in 1962, the Sun Dek has a swimming pool and sits on 0.5 acres.
His company gutted the 17 units; he picked the Frigidaire stainless steel appliances and flooring. Wolfenden turned to interior designer Miriam Paige with whom he has a working relationship. She is a principal with Paige & Coleman Inc. in Manhattan Beach, Calif.
She selected Flexsteel queen-size sofa beds and chairs for the living rooms, Cuddledown linens with a high-thread count and matching bedding, the dinnerware and even the canvas photos on the walls. “We were going for a bright and beachy look,” she said.
To run the extended-stay units, Wolfenden turned to Gloria McMillan, whom he’s known for 25 years.
Her expertise is in social media. As more guests use online travel sites to book their stays, she is knowledgeable about juggling listings on Expedia, VRBO and Booking.com websites.
The minimum stay is three nights because the complex was grandfathered in as a vacation-stay rental. The owner also had to keep a similar name to maintain that exception, McMillan said.
All of the beds are “king sizes because that is what is most popular for guests,” she said.
McMillan hosted an open house for Ocean Ridge residents in late November. She sent invitations via email and had a small signboard sitting in the Sun Dek driveway.
Guests toured the units and then gathered under the gazebo to sip wine or coffee and nibble an assortment of cheeses, crackers and grapes, while jazz music played.
The Sun Dek, 6666 N. Ocean Blvd., Ocean Ridge. Prices start at $120 per night for a studio in the off-season to $395 for a two-bedroom suite. Call 732-2544 or visit sundekbeachhouse.com.
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