By By MARCIA STEFFENS / Niles Daily Star
CASSOPOLIS – Finally the project begins.
The Stone Lake Manor project got moving today literally with ground being broken for the $3.5 million dollar first stage three-story apartment building.
Eventually with more stages and additional buildings, there will be $7 million dollars invested in Cassopolis, according to Melvin Washington, president/CEO Phoenix Group Companies.
Washington and others were delayed to Thursday's groundbreaking due to a road closure on Pokagon Road, as village workers worked on a sewer line.
The first phase of the project, just north of the Stone Lake Woods independent living apartments on Stone Lake Drive, will have 49 units for seniors, with some handicapped equipped, or barrier free units and include an elevator and fire sprinkler systems. There will be one and two bedroom units, some with a view of Stone Lake.
There will be a back-up generator, in case the power goes out Rick Cross added. He is the program supervisor from Castle Construction out of Detroit.
Also on hand to celebrate the culmination of 10 years to bring forth this project were representatives from Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA), Jess Sobel, Julie K. Gardner and Catherine Costello.
The project also couldn't have happened without the help of Great Lakes Capital Funds, represented by Jennifer Calery out of the Lansing office.
Also "critical" Washington said, was help from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
"There was a lot of blended finances," he said. His first project in the area was in Kalamazoo. He continues to look at this area for possible building sites.
The land owner in Cassopolis has been trying to get this going for 10 years, he added.
"The village has been very patient," Washington said. The site plans had to be approved by the village. President Michelle Andrews joined in the ground breaking, along with three trustees, Clare Mallo, Bob Yoder and Vince Hawkins.
Phase two includes three two-story buildings, which will serve 48 families. These two phases are expected to be completed by May or June of 2008. Eventually some single family homes, "for sale at the market rate," are also planned, Washington added.