STOCKBRIDGE, Mich. — PK Companies in Okemos will spend $2.5 million to renovate the Lakewood Apartment complex in Stockbridge which burned in August.
“It completely ruined the whole place,” said neighbor Anthony Vonhatten, “It was a bad fire.”
The fire at the public housing complex is still under investigation. Vonhatten lives nearby and his daughter’s mother-in-law was among the 16 families forced to leave a property they once called home.
“She had to move out right away,” Vonhatten said. “She lost everything in her apartment.”
Months later, the property , which was built in the 1980’s, is getting a second chance at life through the renovation project.
“We’re working on this, and the progress has been amazing,” said PK Companies President Pete Potterin.
The renovation plan actually started a year before the fire but now PK Companies is putting more money into the two-building complex.
“For the 16-unit building that was lost in the fire, we’re rebuilding that for $1.7 million and the other 16-unit building that was not burned, we renovating for $700,000," Potterin said.
Officials hope the construction will be done by April.
