Apartments repaired after fire; some ready in October

By ELISE FRANCO

The Villager Apartments building manager said she expects about 20 tenants to return to the complex when it reopens.

CANFIELD — Carried out of her third-floor apartment after the unit below hers caught fire nearly two months ago, Villager Apartments resident Audrey Kissack says she’s ready to move back in.

Kissack, 82, is staying with her daughter Barbara Delligatti in Ona, W.Va., while she waits for the OK to resume life as a resident of the complex. She also spent time at the home of her daughter Laura Whitman in Alliance.

“I’m very anxious to get back,” she said. “I’ve lived alone for so long that I’m not used to this. It’s lovely to spend time with my children, though.”

The fire, which broke out July 28 while a tenant was cooking in his second-floor apartment, was contained to one unit but caused more than $900,000 in smoke damage throughout much of the 56-unit complex on Fairgrounds Boulevard.

Even though Kissack said she’s anxious to get back home, she’s thankful for the firefighters who carried her to safety that afternoon.

“I was sitting there watching television, and the firemen burst into my door with masks on,” she said. “I asked what was happening, and they literally picked me up and took me out.”

She said because of the location of her apartment, she didn’t hear any sirens or smell smoke.

Beverly Flowers of Cristoff Management Inc., is pleased with how quickly the renovations have come together.

She said seeing the aftermath of the fire — the unit where the fire originated was gutted, a neighboring apartment was partially destroyed, and surrounding units had extensive smoke damage — was hard to handle.

“We didn’t get to go in until the next day ... it was a disaster,” she said. “I’ve been the manager of the building for 33 years, and it was heartbreaking.”

Flowers said walls were painted and carpet was replaced inside the complex, which is about 35 years old.

Kenny Leonard of Kenwood Construction, Canfield, said his company won a $997,500 contract for fire repair.

Twenty-eight of the units were gutted and completely redone, and three of the apartments on the first floor were made handicap accessible.

“When it’s done, it will be like a brand-new complex,” Flowers said.

Flowers said she expects the first floor to be ready for occupancy by Oct. 1 and hopes to open the second floor by Dec. 1.

“Right now we’ve got approximately 20 tenants who have decided to return,” She said. “We hope to have a grand reopening in February.”

Flowers said management is offering the first month’s rent for free for all current and new tenants.

Of the 56 units, only eight were unoccupied at the time of the fire, she said.

Although some of those residents decided to find a new apartment, Kissack, who has lived in the complex for almost 20 years, said she never considered moving to another place.

Upon her return, she will be moving from her third-floor unit to the second floor one directly below, so that she doesn’t have as many steps to climb.

“I like it there,” she said, “I face Fairground Boulevard, and that’s what I wanted again. It has a nice, big front yard to look out at.”

Flowers said she commends the way displaced residents have handled the situation.

“They’ve all been so patient and understanding,” she said, “We’re happy to have some very long-standing tenants coming back.”

efranco@vindy.com