The 71-room facility was refurbished from the floors to the roof to accommodate the needs of its elderly residents.
These images enlarge to show more detail
Taken during the refurbishment, these images show the full scale of the renovations.
After going through several owners the 43,000 square-foot hotel closed in the 1960's and reopened in the 1970's as an assisted living facility. For a time this historic building again bustled with life until the early 1990's when financial troubles forced the Maranatha Retirement Home to close down.
Recognizing the immense need for suitable care for the elderly in Lake Alfred, Doug Cook purchased the building to restore it to its original status as a central point of the community. Cook Development invested over $1 million in the renovation of what is now the Southern Gardens assisted living facility. The 71-room facility was refurbished from the floors to the roof to accommodate the needs of its elderly residents. Each 255 square-foot room was wired with two emergency call boxes, one next to the bed and the other in the bathroom to ensure the safety of residents. Community areas were also refurbished; a new kitchen, dining room, lobby, elevator, enclosed patio and reception area await new residents and visitors. Besides the interior renovations, the building's 307 windows were replaced and adorned with stucco-covered frames.
In addition to the renovations, fresh paint and interior decorations give the assisted living facility the serene feeling of home. The renovations made by Cook Development helped to restore the heart of the city and make it into a place that all residents can be proud to call home.