Apartments officially reopen

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RIBBON CUTTTTING - Tom Christoff - Ken Leonard - Bev Flowers - Jan MagLaughlin - Joe Clark - cut the ribbon at Canfield Colonial Estates.

By Elise Franco

Of the 56 units inside the Villager Apartments, 26 were completely gutted and remodeled.

CANFIELD — Nearly seven months after a grease fire caused more than $900,000 in smoke damage to the Villager Apartments, residents are settling into their revamped units.

Tenants began moving back in Nov. 1, but on Wednesday the management team and construction crew gathered one last time to celebrate the official reopening of the complex, on Fairground Boulevard.

Beverly Flowers, Christoff Management Inc. vice president, said everyone involved in the reconstruction is proud of the end result.

“We’re just thrilled,” Flowers said. “I’ve been the manager of this building for 33 years, so it’s like a part of me.”

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.

Flowers, along with Tom Christoff, Christoff Management president; Joe Clark, building manager; Kenny Leonard, Kenwood Construction Co. vice president; Mark Kholos, Regional Chamber account executive; and Jan Maglaughlin, of Christoff Management; cut a ribbon inside apartment No. 24, where the fire originated. The total cost of the renovations was not disclosed.

Kholos said the chamber was happy to see such perseverance from management and staff in getting the complex up and running again.

“We hope this is contagious throughout the community. ... We’d love to see others improve upon their properties the way you have,” he said.

Flowers said renovations to the 35-year-old building included repainting all hallways, gutting and remodeling 26 units, expanding three first-floor units to make them handicap accessible, replacing appliances and updating many of the older apartments.

“All the apartments that were damaged in the fire are completely brand new,” she said.

Clark said a new smoke alarm system has also been installed.

He said when smoke is detected, the hallway doors in that section of the building will close, confining the smoke to a smaller section of the complex.

“The fire will be contained to a smaller area,” Clark said. “One of our biggest problems was the greasy smoke that filled the building. It makes a mess.”

Of the 42 tenants who were displaced in the summer blaze, 12 have returned to the complex, and Flowers said it’s likely more will follow.

Joe Dina, 74, has lived in the complex since 1980, and he said the thought of leaving never crossed his mind.

“This apartment is so convenient because I walk with crutches, plus it was like coming back home,” he said. “It feels so great to be back in here, and they did a beautiful job.”

Clark said Dina stayed with his sister until Nov. 4, when he moved back in.

“This apartment was remodeled just for Joe,” he said. “The doors were all widened all the way around for him.”

Delbert Beckman, 83, who was one of the residents rescued by firefighters during the blaze, said he stayed with family and friends until his unit was ready.

He said he’s glad to be home.

“I like this place because it’s handy,” Beckman said. “There’s a drugstore, a gas station and a restaurant all right next door.”

efranco@vindy.com