Window Cleaning at Brighton at Bay Colony. Salt film? Disavowed.

Brighton was delivered by WCI Communities in 1994 at 8231 Bay Colony Drive, on the beach in the Bay Colony section of Pelican Bay, with the Carlysle to the north and the Biltmore to the south. It has 22 floors and 75 residences, four per floor, arranged in four stacks that face southwest over the Gulf. The building has a curved, contemporary footprint, and its terraces have glass railings rather than the metal spindle railings found on some other Bay Colony beachfront buildings. That combination means a lot of glass, much of it facing straight into the afternoon sun.

Glass railings change the routine

On a building with spindle railings, the railing is a quick wipe. At Brighton, every terrace is framed by glass panels, and each one collects salt spray on the outside and handprints on the inside, just like a window. We clean both faces of each railing panel that can be reached safely from the terrace, along with the cap rail and the base channel where sand and water collect. We never lean over the railing to reach the outer face from above; where a panel’s outer face cannot be reached safely, we tell you rather than take a risk.

Southwest exposure

Facing southwest puts Brighton’s terraces in full sun from early afternoon until sunset, which is wonderful for evenings outdoors and hard on glass. Salt and water spots dry quickly in that heat and bond to the surface, and any streak is obvious when the sun is low. We schedule Brighton visits to start on the terrace glass in the morning, while it is still shaded, and finish inside as the light comes around.

Curved walls and long runs of glass

A curved footprint usually means the glass follows the curve in a series of panels or doors rather than one flat wall. Each panel meets the next at a slight angle, and the joints and corners hold dust and salt. We work panel by panel and detail the vertical joints, which is where haze tends to remain after a quick cleaning.

The four plans

Residences 01 and 03 are three-bedroom-plus-den layouts of about 3,380 and 3,450 square feet. Residences 02 and 04 are two-bedroom-plus-den plans of about 2,760 and 2,980 square feet. A five-bedroom penthouse is listed at more than 7,000 square feet. Send us your residence number and a few photos and we can give you a firm written price before the visit.

No screen enclosure

Some Bay Colony buildings have screened terrace enclosures. Brighton’s open, glass-railed terraces give a cleaner view, but they also let wind-blown sand, leaves and the occasional bird reach the doors directly. We vacuum the door tracks fully, clear the weep channels where water should drain, and wipe the frames so grit is not dragged across the glass.

Common areas and renovations

Brighton was the second beachfront building in Bay Colony to remodel its common areas, after Contessa, and owners renovate individual residences from time to time. If work is going on in a nearby unit, construction dust can settle on your terrace and glass. We can schedule a cleaning once the project nearby is finished.

Leasing and pets

Owners may lease once a year for a minimum of 90 days, and two small pets are allowed. Pets mean nose prints on the lower terrace glass and on railing panels, so we treat the bottom of each panel with extra care.

Our part and the building’s part

We clean every pane reachable from inside your residence and from your own terrace: interior glass, both faces of the terrace doors, railing glass and the frames, tracks and sills. Exterior faces of the fixed windows on a 22-floor tower are cleaned from ropes or a stage by the association’s contractor.

Keeping railing glass clear between visits

Rinse the inside face of the railing panels with fresh water after windy days and dry them with a microfiber cloth, keep terrace furniture from resting against the glass, and sweep sand from the base channel so it does not pile up against the panels or the door track.

Access

Bay Colony is gated, and Brighton has a secured entrance staffed around the clock. We email our insurance certificate to the building office before the first visit, ask to be added to the gate list and follow the building’s rules for contractor hours, elevators and parking.