Page 55 of Abundant Moon
Ben glanced at his business partners. Nolan gave him a thumbs-up and Tom shrugged; unwilling to commit without more information.
“I’ll have to get a good look at the property first, Carol Jo. When can we meet with you?”
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LATER THAT DAY
As promised, an excited Carol Jo met Ben, Nolan, and Tom at the front entrance of the building. First impressions left them underwhelmed and wondering why someone didn’t knock the ugly thing down and start from scratch. Carol Jo led them inside and began the nickel tour.
“The structure started out as a fish processing plant for Great Lakes Seafood almost a hundred years ago. It changed hands many times over the years, used for various businesses and bulk storage until the present owner purchased it for a song in the seventies. He divided it up to create apartments, and for a time this place was all the rage. We’ve never enjoyed an abundance of apartments in Gladstone, so these units have seen some heavy use.
“Unfortunately, the former owner spent virtually nothing on maintenance and never bothered to update the units. While the building itself is rock solid, it looks like it will need a lot of work to bring it up to code and refurbish the apartments. There are five floors total, with a freight elevator here in the center - though I’m afraid it’s in need of repair.”
The men fanned out to have a look, scribbling down notes and asking Carol Jo for additional information. She answered most of their questions, including whether or not the structure was on the list of historic places.
“Thankfully, no. With all the laws and restrictions, we wouldn’t have purchased the property if it were on the list. Until recently, the occupancy rate remained high, but several electrical and plumbing issues forced some of the residents out. Allow me to show you those units so you have an idea of what I’m talking about.”
They followed her up the concrete stairs to the second floor where she unlocked a door covered with peeling paint. Even in the hallway, shifter senses picked up the unmistakable odor of sewage. The unit had been cleared of furniture and the decades-old carpet ripped from the stained wooden floor beneath. Tall windows allowed in enough light to have a good look around; fortunate, since the electricity had been shut off.
Again, the trio broke up to examine the unit and jot down their observations and questions. Carol Jo waited patiently for them to finish and then proceeded to show them three more apartments, the boiler room, and other non-resident spaces. Lastly, they took a look at the exterior of the building, parking area, and adjacent property. Its location on a narrow spit of land provided stunning views of Little Bay de Noc on three sides. Proximity to downtown suggested commercial possibilities.
Ben absently noted how close they were to packlands - barely a quarter mile across the bay. It seemed strange to view his property from this vantage point and he looked behind him to see rows of apartment windows facing the water. It would be fair to charge more for the units with a good view and he added the idea to his growing list.
Ben regrouped with Nolan and Tom to compare notes while Carol Jo waited in the lobby. It took several minutes to come up with a ball-park figure for the “must haves” and another for the recommended improvements. Ben also wanted to make a few suggestions to increase curb appeal and possibly triple the property’s income potential. While the building required a lot of work, there were a number of things in its favor.
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THE COMPACT MIRRORreflected a worried face as Carol Jo reapplied her lipstick. Waiting was never one of her strengths, and the investment in this building represented a huge personal risk. With so much on the line, she dared to hope Ben Blair accepted the herculean task of rehabbing this monstrosity. Aside from her concern over Dominic’s living conditions, she wouldn’t have spent a dime on the building. If Natural Homes declined the job, she and her fellow investors would be hard-pressed to find a trustworthy contractor to do the work. A glance out the filmy front windows told her she was about to hear their answer.
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WHEN THEY REENTEREDthe building, Ben smelled Carol Jo’s well-hidden anxiety. A place like this could become a money pit rather than ever turn a profit, and she was, no doubt, looking for encouraging news. One thing seemed certain – Natural Homes would be handed the contract on a silver platter if he agreed to do it. Granted, it wasn’t the type of work they were used to, but the use of sub-contractors took care of anything his own people couldn’t do. If they were able to agree on a fair price, the work promised to keep them busy for months.
“Let me start with the good news. If the inspections don’t turn up any surprises, I think we can turn this sow’s ear into a silk purse. What I envision is a mixed use building with commercial space on the ground floor and apartments above. They need a lot of work – electrical, plumbing, new boiler system, energy efficient windows, flooring, and total replacement of kitchens and baths. I also recommend a full size washer and dryer added to each apartment, and carports outside.
“With fewer, but virtually new apartments, you can make up the lost income with higher rents - especially for the units with a view. It’s also possible to break up a few of the larger ones into efficiencies. The front entrance needs curb appeal and more glass for natural light. I’ll sketch up a few ideas for you and the other investors to look at.”
Carol Jo’s mood improved markedly as Ben spoke, impressed with his honesty and ideas. She asked a number of questions, filling pages of her legal pad with hastily scribbled notes amid jangling bracelets. While she winced at the estimated price tag, it wasn’t as high as she’d feared. When the discussion ended, she gave Ben a sparkling smile.
“Once the inspections are done, I’ll need a detailed proposal from Natural Homes. If my fellow investors are happy with it, I’ll get a contract to you ASAP. Barring any nasty surprises, I think we’ve got a deal!”
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ONE WEEK LATER
The packhouse thrummed with conversation and laughter as people roamed from one group to another, armed with refreshments. Evan’s original idea of a quiet, intimate open house to welcome their new members had been quickly tossed aside after a multitude of out-of-town guests accepted their invitations. The result was an enormous spring party – a loud, lively celebration of pack life.
Cody and Abigail’s corner of the dining area swarmed with family, and it took most of them to keep Perry out of trouble. The little shaver started shifting early, and he wasn’t currently interested in socializing with strangers. Cody tried bringing Perry with him to Ben and Evan’s home after Abigail returned to work, but it proved to be impractical. Cody couldn’t focus on his duties and it wasn’t fair to burden Lance with the oversight of yet another child. The opening of the daycare neatly solved the problem and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
The largest group by far, surrounding Katrine, Mandy, and the girls, occupied half the great room. While Mandy had no relatives in attendance, she received extra attention from the Winns. Ken, Patty, and Ryan’s siblings arrived en masse from Minnesota, armed with gifts, advice, and lots of hugs. There were only tears of joy on this visit as they fought over who got to hold the babies first.
To make things more interesting, Katrine’s family drove in from Iron River, and since her father and Tom were brothers, it became something of a mini-reunion. Noel and Holly, wearing adorable pastel outfits, became the absolute center of attention. In this case, they delighted in the barrage of strangers - all willing to spoil them without expending any effort whatsoever.
With the girls now in daycare during the workweek, Katrine and Mandy were free to run their business properly. Like Perry Erwin, Noel and Holly benefitted from playing with other children and the freedom to act normally. By the age of two, shifter children reached the equivalent of five human years before their physical development leveled off. Keeping them on packlands prevented humans from noticing their accelerated growth and asking uncomfortable questions.
Near the large fireplace, Jack, William, and the twins interacted with well-wishers, despite the lack of relatives. Ben, Evan, and the kids chose to linger close by, drawing even more people to that part of the room. Marie, always calm and compliant, primarily reflected her fathers’ dispositions. Early on, however, Kiah showed every indication of having inherited Robyn’s fiery personality. Coupled with his Alpha status, the child proved to be a handful already. While it flustered William, Jack simply waited him out or held him until he cooperated. Noting Kiah’s intransigence, Ben shot him an occasional burst of Alpha power to settle him down.
The twins were a remarkably attractive pair with their darker complexions and coal black eyes. A casual glance, along with their scent, immediately identified William and Jack as their fathers – even if people weren’t sure how it was possible. Without saying so out loud, many of Gladstone’s guests wanted to meet the True Elder and his children to satisfy their curiosity. Wisely, no one asked where their birth mother might be, and while Robyn wasn’t avoiding them, she didn’t spend more time in this part of the room than anyone else.
