Diana Puentes: Every Day's Good at The Metropolitan

Diana Puentes looks forward to every day at The Metropolitan Condominium.Her journey to Miami is a familiar one, arriving here as a young child in 1962 when her parents fled Cuba during Fidel Castro’s turbulent Cuban revolution and government takeover. The daughter of a U.S. Marine World War II veteran and a Cuban mother, Diana is practically a Miami native, having attended school and worked here all her professional life.One of Diana’s first jobs was working for a developer. She was involved in all aspects of the business, including dealing with conversions from rentals to condominiums, sales, unit upgrades, rules and regulations, condominium documents and management of operations. It was this work that fueled her interest in pursuing a career in property management.“While working with the developer I obtained my real estate and CAM (Common Area Maintenance) licenses and came to enjoy the management side of the business the most,” she said.The main highlight of Diana’s job is meeting and interacting with different people and helping them solve problems. She likes to “promote social harmony among the residents,” but doesn’t shy away from enforcing the rules and regulations of the building when needed. Along with the “people side” of the job, Diana is responsible for a wide range of administrative and management duties, which she said she equally enjoys.Immediately prior to coming to The Metropolitan in 2005, Diana worked for a management company with properties in Miami, Miami Beach and Doral, giving her the depth and breadth of experience to take on a major Brickell condo association. As a property manager at The Metropolitan for nearly eight years, she is intimately familiar with the building’s history and evolution.The site on which The Metropolitan sits was originally the home of a Native American woman who maintained a beautiful flower garden around the house, said Puentes. When the owner died, her heirs sold the property to Coscan Developers who built the Metropolitan and turned it over to the homeowners in August 2001.The property features several recreational facilities that are always abuzz with residents, including the sixth floor deck with spa, Jacuzzi, pool, barbecue and indoor gym and media room.The sitting area outside the Bistro Café is the perfect spot for residents to relax over breakfast or lunch. The Multifunction Room hosts several BHA meetings every year, there’s generally at least one party going on every weekend….birthday parties, baby showers, wedding celebrations….or one of The Metropolitan’s own spirited resident holiday parties.Apartments at The Metropolitan serve as a second home for many owners from around the United States, Greece, France, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, among other countries. Residents include couples, families, retirees and single people. And even though the building is full, the residents concur it is very quiet, pleasant and well kept.“Many guests that visit our building immediately notice our grand lobby entrance and the overall cleanliness of the building. We owe this to our dedicated staff who keeps The Metropolitan in top condition,” Diana said.Having worked on Brickell for nearly a decade now, Diana has enjoyed being part of the renaissance Brickell has experienced. Now, more than ever, Brickell is a dynamic, growing urban community. More and more families are moving to the area, Diana said, taking advantage of Brickell’s close proximity to many great amenities.“I love how close I am to the ocean and the uniqueness of the Brickell area,” she said. “It’s close to downtown, beaches and great restaurants that residents can visit on bike, by foot or via the Brickell Trolley.”When she’s not busy at work, Diana enjoys traveling with her husband and taking mini-vacations with their grandchildren. “Family is always a priority,” she said. “But when I do have some time alone, I enjoy reading and listening to music.”