Dearborn Towers Residents Make Plans to Move

Donna Dennis knows everyone at Dearborn Towers.

She is president of the 223 Club, a social group at the building that her mother helped lead years before her. The club name comes from the building, which is at 223 Island Way.

Alchemy Management recently purchased the 88-unit complex for $6.251 million from the city of Dearborn, who owned it for nearly 50 years. The deal is expected to close in more than 30 days. After that, residents will have up to 90 days to leave, according to a letter posted this week on the community's bulletin board.

“People are pulling together rather than pulling apart,” Dennis said.

Alchemy Management into a condominium community.

The letter dated March 22 gives notice to the residents from the tenants association. It mentioned that another notice posted Thursday was taken down at the request of the city of Dearborn legal department:

“It is true that the building has been sold, yet the closing date has not been set,” the printed notice tacked to the community bulletin board said. “The new owner has agreed to meet with the board in the very near future to discuss a possible timeline including the deadline to vacate and projected date of reopening the building as well as an estimated fee schedule for rentals at that time.”

A letter to residents from the Dearborn Mayor John B. O'Reilly, Jr. Friday tried to clarify the letter posted on the community bulletin board.

O'Reilly's letter confirmed the sale of the property and said the closing is set for May or June. After that, the developer has not set any plans for it.

"Please understand that the buyer’s exact plan of what they will be doing once they take over is not 100 percent set yet. This is part of what will be formulated during the sale process.," O'Reilly's letter said. "We will do our best to facilitate additional meetings in the future."

Residents are looking at their options which could pull many of them in different directions. Dennis said many of her neighbors have gotten together already and talked about possible moves to Cove Cay, and other complexes in Clearwater as well as some outside the city. 

“We will never have this sense of community again,” Dennis said.

Dennis said the complex also has its own assets to sell including a flat screen television purchased last year and patio furniture. Many of the residents will probably be getting rid of items rather than move them too, she said. 

“Sometime we are going to have the biggest yard sale on Island Estates.”

And there are plans for a party by the pool Saturday. Everyone in the building is planning to be there, Dennis said.

*updated 7:14 a.m. June 7, 2012