Lakeshore Apartments annual fireworks celebration canceled indefinitely
Lakeshore Apartments in Ypsilanti Township will not be holding its annual Fourth of July fireworks celebration this year, but owner John Packer said he hasn’t given up on trying to bring them back next year.
This year's Lakeshore Apartments Fireworks celebration has been canceled.
File photo | AnnArbor.com
Packer said last March, Lakeshore refinanced the property through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and when HUD reviewed the finances, it was concerned with the expenses of the fireworks.
Packer had a meeting with HUD officials and after assessing the situation, they decided the fireworks celebration costs were unnecessary and unreasonable to the health of the complex.
“We tried working with them but they deemed the expenses unnecessary,” Packer said. “They’re not allowing us to have them. It wasn’t our choice. We’re going to see if we can revisit it at the end of the year. We’re having a good year and we’re hoping we can convince them. We haven’t given up yet.”
This year would have been the fourth time Lakeshore hosted the event. Last year's celebration included three nights of on-site fireworks, amusement rides, a petting zoo, classic car show and other events marketed toward families.
While Packer agreed that the costs may not have been reasonable or normal for an apartment complex to take on, he said the benefits far outweighed any of the expenses.
“We are hopeful it’s not a permanent thing,” Packer said. “The loan we have with them is for 35 years. We didn’t realize we were giving up that type of control for our property.”
Packer said when Lakeshore began hosting the fireworks, the goal was to make it annual event. Before HUD made its decision, he said Lakeshore had already budgeted for the fireworks this year.
Lakeshore has been receiving a lot of inquiries from residents in the apartment complex and residents in the local area.
“They liked it,” he said. “I thought it was a win-win. It was good for us, our residents and local communities.”
Packer said last year’s fireworks had a crowd well over 6,000 people on site, not including the surrounding areas and neighborhoods that could see the display from the privacy of their homes.
Mike Radzik, director of the office of community standards for Ypsilanti Township, said the fireworks were once sponsored by the township and grew in volume to the point where they were drawing thousands of attendants. With the increase of people attending, Radzik said the township saw more fights and issues surfacing.
““We didn’t have enough police officers available to provide traffic control,” he said. “Because of that and funding, the township ceased doing them and then Lakeshore stepped up and said they were interested in sponsoring it so they did it for a couple of years.”
Radzik said although the fireworks display will be missed, the township has no immediate plans to begin hosting the fireworks again.
“At this point, I haven’t heard any movement from the township,” he said. “We’ve had to cut back on police officers over the last four years and we’re still not up to full strength. People would love to if it were ever feasible. We were excited that we had a private event and were really hopeful it would have continued.”
Katrease Stafford covers the city of Ypsilanti for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at KatreaseStafford@annarbor.com. You can also follow her on Twitter.
Comments
Monica R-W
Wed, Jul 4, 2012 : 4:21 a.m.
Hopefully HUD will bend within the next year and let Lakeshore host the fireworks. They did a wonderful job with both crowd control at the carnival and parking for the main event. It was nice having the PROFESSIONAL instead of home operated fireworks show back with Lakeshore stepping up to do it. They are indeed missed this year!
lumberg48108
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 5:29 p.m.
The 15 minute firework show was also part of a carnival. They charged admission to both in parking lots they own. I am sure they covered their costs ... Folks, this was a small fireworks show, less than what you see at Comerica Park Friday nights. This should not be confused with the much larger Township fireworks that were suspended several years ago. Those were HUGE and perhaps the best in the area outside of the Detroit fireworks. Ford Lake drew thousands for those shows ... My understanding was - the township lost too much money on the extra police needed ... Those fireworks were the bomb - pun intended
notnecessary
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 4:59 p.m.
"No Flamers!" analogy is dead on. Having dealt with HUD financing for multi-family housing projects around the Midwest, HUD does a significant analysis of the operating statements as well as the facilities of a whole to attempt to make sure they are likely to fulfill their loan obligations. HUD also makes you update tons of things like making sure there are trip railings for blind people in each building, adding additional handicap spaces, etc. A community the size of Lakeshore likely had to undergo at least $50k in capital expenses updating their property to meet HUD criteria. The benefit is a 35 year fixed loan at around 3% interest.... However, you give significant control over to HUD. The analogy to a backyard BBQ is correct but HUD doesn't get down to that level for private loans (that would be a nightmare, but I suppose they COULD do it and say your backyard bbq will endanger your ability to repay the BBQ). The fact that Lakeshore is operating for-profit has nothing to do with it. As an individual, I'm also for-profit (at least I hope I'm making some money) and I hope Lakeshore makes some profit too! Profit for everyone!
slave2work
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 2:46 p.m.
wow, lot of haters today.
jns131
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 7:03 p.m.
When is any day different?
Angry Moderate
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 5:57 p.m.
You misspelled "taxpayers."
a2citizen
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 3:42 p.m.
Today?
Ron Granger
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 1:07 p.m.
"Last year's celebration included three nights of on-site fireworks, amusement rides, a petting zoo, classic car show and other events marketed toward families." Yeah, I'm sure that's just what taxpayers expected when they gave a housing loan at subsidized rates to to the facility - that the money would support a wanna-be carnival. Let's hope they don't try and install a ferris wheel for "residents".
Jimmy McNulty
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 12:09 p.m.
"Before HUD made its decision, he said Lakeshore had already budgeted for the fireworks this year." WHOSE money was budgeted? Was it from rents or a special assessment?
no flamers!
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 12:07 p.m.
Bummer! We enjoyed the fireworks from our boat the past few years, always hosting a boat party, and really looked forward to it. Hope we can get the back next year! I am confused by the comment from "Fester" thanking HUD for not using tax payer money; the Lakeshore Apartment fireworks would not have been funded by HUD (which loaned Lakeshore Apartments $) any more than HUD funds the backyard BBQ party of a person that received HUD financing for their home.
Fester
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 1:02 p.m.
The difference my friend is that Lakeshore Apartments is a for profit company receiving a subsidized government loan.
Fester
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 11:46 a.m.
Thank you HUD for not allowing Lakeshore Apartments to waste tax payer money blowing up things
Angry Moderate
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 5:56 p.m.
HUD is supposed to improve housing and urban development. It's not supposed to take up the risk of bankruptcy or foreclosure caused by expensive firework shows.
Ignatz
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 1:15 p.m.
I don't think HUD would be paying for the fireworks. The complex simply refinanced their loan(s) through HUD. HUD apparently did not want to lend the money for it.