Published: November 05, 2009 07:50 pm      

Holiday homes

Residents hoping to be back home in Optimist Villiage

There is no place like home for the holidays and that is exactly where residents of Optimist Village want to be, but for some who were displaced after a fire destroyed the apartment building, it can’t be repaired quick enough.

LuJuan Fuller, administrator of Optimist Village, said the building is about 75 percent complete. Workers still have to things to do such as cabinets, flooring and outside lighting before it will be completed. The landscaping will also need to be done before residents can move back.

Although some of the 48 displaced residents have found other places to live, the majority just “want to come home.” Fuller is hopeful the residents will be able to move in by Christmas, but it could be as late as January before residents can return.

Fuller says residents will be able to move back according to seniority of when they moved in to the independent living facility. Residents are guaranteed to be able to return to the same location as their former apartment.

The apartments will have the same floor plans, but there will be some minor changes such as french doors instead of sliding patio doors and the windows will be double paned with blinds between the panes of glass. The apartment units will be more energy efficient as well.

In addition, everything will be up to date to meet current building codes. One of the updates will be to have sprinkler systems installed in each apartment instead of the hallways. But, the sprinkler systems will not activate unless the area reaches a high enough temperature, according to Fuller.

Even though the apartments will be soon ready for residents to move-in, some people will still have a long ways to go before they are really “home.” The residents lost most of everything they owned.

Many will need things such as household items and furniture. Fuller said the community has helped a lot, but for the residents who are on a fixed income, some help is still needed. Displaced residents were forced to pay higher rent with little money left over for other needs.

Members of the Orange Noon Optimist Club are still collecting gently used furnishings. Anyone wanting to donate can call them at 409-883-9949.

As the fire ravaged the building, residents could only stand out in the parking lot and watch all the chaos.

But, firefighters thought they had extinguished the blaze the first time and were forced to return a few hours later. Still exhausted from the night before, they tackled the fire again and worked the remainder of the day making sure it was out.

What residents didn’t lose the first time the fire ripped through the structure, the blaze finished the devastation the second time.

The water used to douse the flames and smoldering embers cascaded through the patio doors, onto the balconies to the ground below.

They were only gone for about 4 1/2 hours when they were called back after a security guard reported the flames had returned. But, after a bit more work, finally it was out.

Pinehurst Fire Chief Grady Gray said, the structure was a total loss since it received fire, heavy smoke and water damage. The cause of the fire has not been released and is still under investigation.



Debby Schamber is a reporter for the Orange Leader. She can be reached at 409-883-3571 ext. 2609 or at dschamber@orangeleader.com.