Rentals are going quickly at old Danvers hospital site

Avalon Danvers, an upscale housing development at the old Danvers State Hospital site, should be completed by June, adding almost 500 apartments and condominiums to the sweeping 77-acre site off Route 1.

"We are finalizing the last several buildings," said Scott Dale, a vice president of Avalon Bay Communities Inc., a national development company with a local office in Boston.

"Leasing is going pretty much according to plan. We've had some very strong weeks. The spring rental season is looking good."

The development includes 433 apartments and 64 town house-style condominiums. A fire swept through the property last April, destroying three apartment buildings that were still under construction. The state fire marshal's office later ruled that the cause of the blaze could not be determined. The three buildings are now being rebuilt, Dale said.

Of the 290 apartments already completed, 270 are leased, Dale said. Rents range from $1,350 per month for a one-bedroom to $2,400 for larger units located in the historic Kirkbride building, the grand Gothic-style building that was the centerpiece of the former hospital campus. Construction is ongoing on the town houses, and a model unit recently was completed. The first town house, a 1,500-square-foot unit, was recently sold for $380,000, Dale said.

Other town houses are expected to sell in the $550,000 range, Dale said. Despite a troubled housing market, Avalon is betting home buyers and renters will flock to the old hospital on Hathorne Hill. "It's a beautiful piece of property," Dale said. "People recognize that when they get up there. The housing market has experienced some pretty obvious declines, but I think the rental market will hold its own."

Kay O'Rourke will start as the new executive director of Wellspring House in Gloucester on April 1, succeeding Nancy Schwoyer, who is retiring after 27 years at the nonprofit organization, which provides housing, education, and job training for low-income families on Cape Ann.

O'Rourke, 50, is a former member of Wellspring's board of directors. She also worked as the economic development and hospitality director at Wellspring. She most recently served as marketing director at Third Sector New England, which provides financial management and consulting services to nonprofit organizations.

"Kay brings a passion for Wellspring's mission as well as strong management skills," Schwoyer said in a statement announcing her successor.

Schwoyer, who is 70 and one of seven original founders of Wellspring House, will become president emeritus, and continue to raise money on behalf of the organization.

"I am excited about my new role, which will allow me to continue my work building Wellspring's endowment, and advocating for public policies that support families moving to economic stability," she said.

A classically trained chef, Peter Mikedis has cooked up Side Kim Foods, a school lunch business, in Lynn.

He has developed a peanut-free, trans-fat-free menu, offering homemade chicken nuggets, grilled chicken Caesar salad, and baked ziti with real ricotta cheese.

"There's no bland here," said Mikedis, 42, a son of Greek immigrants, who grew up in Lynn. "We use all fresh ingredients. We have a passion for food. We won't skimp on the quality."

Mikedis has spent more than $400,000 to transform 5,200 square feet of warehouse space in the Max Sontz building on Eastern Avenue into a commercial kitchen. It's filled with pots big enough to make 30 gallons of mashed potatoes at once. It also has stainless steel stoves, steam tables, and refrigerators. The staff of seven employees also packages and delivers the meals.

He invested his personal savings, and received a loan from the US Small Business Administration, to finance his new venture. "This was a costly endeavor," said Mikedis, who lives in Saugus with his wife and two children, ages 8 and 11. "But we knew we had to do this right. We've had a few hiccups, but so far, things are going well."

His clients so far include five small private schools in the North region. He hopes eventually to add senior centers to his roster. By October, Mikedis hopes to have 20 clients, serving 2,000 to 3,000 meals per day. He offers taste tests to potential customers. "We invite everyone we meet with to come out and see our facility," Mikedis said. "We don't make anything special for them. They taste whatever it is we're making that day."

Mikedis brings decades of restaurant experience to the table. He worked as a chef at restaurants both in and north of Boston before moving into corporate dining. He has held management jobs at three different firms, including Corporate Chefs in Haverhill, where he was the regional operations manager. Most recently, he was the chief operating officer at City Fresh Foods, a Boston firm that provided Meals on Wheels to senior citizen centers and elderly shut-ins in Boston.

That experience prompted Mikedis to think about running his own kitchen. "I fell in love with the whole idea of Meals on Wheels," Mikedis said. "You can create quality food, and give back to the community."

And about the name of his new venture?

"It's my last name spelled backward," Mikedis said. "People often ask, 'Is this Hebrew or Asian?' I tell them no," Mikedis said. "It's backward Greek."

Kathy McCabe can be reached at kmccabe@globe.com.