Genetti
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Cleanup of fire damaged apartments is underway at The Redington in Wilkes-Barre. Owner Gus Genetti said he will rebuild the 105 apartments. One man died in the Jan. 25 fire that displaced 124 people. The Restored Church on South Meade Street is partnering with Keystone Rescue Mission to set up an emergency shelter to temporarily house many of the people who lived in the apartments.
Bill O’Boyle | Times Leader
WILKES-BARRE — The apartments damaged in a deadly fire last month at The Redington will be rebuilt, property owner Gus Genetti said Thursday.
Clean up of the apartment building on the corner of East Market Street and South Pennsylvania Avenue has begun.
“We’re going to renovate all the areas, rebuild all the areas that were damaged,” Genetti said.
The building will have the same number of apartments. “We had 105 and we’ll have 105 again,” Genetti said.
The property was insured, but Genetti said he had no idea on the cost of the project.
The time frame on reopening is dependent upon bringing the building up to code, putting in new furnishings and installing a sprinkler system. The least damaged apartments could be ready in two months, Genetti said.
One man died and 124 people were displaced by the Jan. 25 fire that damaged apartments on all six floors of the building. A state police fire marshal determined it was accidental.
“They told us it was careless smoking,” Genetti said.
Emergency shelter opening
Many of the former tenants of the building have been living in temporary housing arrangements. The Keystone Rescue Mission and the Restored Church are partnering to provide an emergency shelter.
The Restored Church at 74 S. Meade St. will open the shelter at 9 a.m. on Monday. It will be in operation around-the- clock for up to four weeks. Until Monday, people displaced by the fire will be able to stay at the Code Blue emergency shelter managed by Keystone Mission at the Calvary Bible Church on South River Street in Wilkes-Barre.
A mobile shower and laundry unit and relief backpacks will be provided at the Restored Church from the Baptist Resource Network’s Disaster Relief Department. Keystone Rescue Mission will hire a support staff for the shelter.
“Keystone Mission’s goal is to partner with Luzerne County agencies that will meet with each family or individual to provide resources and services,” Justin Behrens, CEO and executive director, said in a prepared statement. The shelter will have a room for the agencies to meet with the people.
Behrens thanked Pastor Tim Walker and Discipleship Pastor Tim Morris for hosting the shelter at the Restored Church. “Both pastors are stepping in to provide a solution at a critical time,” Behrens said.
The hope is to find permanent housing, stable employment and set up the shelter residents for success, Behrens said. “The endgame is for this situation to not happen again for the people,” he said.
Keystone Mission will hire a follow-up caseworker to keep in touch with families and individuals after they have been placed, Behrens said.
In addition, Keystone Mission has set up a dedicated phone line for people displaced by the fire to speak with a life coach. The number is 570-871-4795, extension 300.
Monetary donations to support the shelter can be sent to www.KeystoneMission.org/go/emergency-shelter.
Reach Jerry Lynott at 570-991-6120 or on Twitter @TLJerryLynott.