By Chris Hagan
Review Staff Writer
Several lakefront properties along Broadway in the village of Lake Orion have been sold and one business is moving north.
Spa on the Lake located at 302 S Broadway at Atwater will be closing its doors and relocating to a historic two-story house in Oxford after the property and several others were sold in early February.
The decision to sell came as a result of an unexpected opportunity for property owner Chuck Schneider.
The 74 year-old entrepreneur stated that from 2006 to now there hasn’t been that much interest or activity in the real-estate market so it was appropriate to sell.
‘The opportunity was right and I had to consider my age and health and begin developing an exit strategy in view of all the real-estate I own,? he said.
Other properties that were sold included the Rustic Cabins, Lakeshore Motel and Apartments, and the Allergy & Asthma building.
Potential future plans could include redeveloping them into various residential and commercial uses, perhaps even a lakefront restaurant.
Schneider sold the properties for an undisclosed amount to The Porritt Group located in the lighthouse building between the purchased properties at 436 S. Broadway.
According to Schneider, the leases of the current tenants will be honored until they expire.
Spa on the Lake will move to 121 S Washington Street across from Genisys Bank in Oxford. The spa will be part of a seven building complex called White House Village of which Schneider also owns.
The 1896 historic home housed former massage therapy business Head to Toes that closed its door July 2014. Schneider owned that property as well and saw an easy transition from their Lake Orion location.
‘We decided to bring the Spa on the Lake business up to Oxford because it was already 90 percent set up to be a spa,? he said. ‘The other 10 percent we’re working on will make it bigger and better.?
The new location will offer larger functional spa areas for clients and will have the same ambience as the previous location. Despite the geographical change, the name will remain the same.
‘Our name carries with it a lot of goodwill and customer familiarity,? Schneider said.
What remains unknown to Schneider is the future of his former properties on Broadway. The areas that were sold are zoned for mixed use, which could mature into both residential and commercial developments. Schneider hopes those properties evolve into establishments that take advantage of the lake frontage and can utilize the beauty of the lake.
‘We have a wonderful asset in the lake but it’s tremendously underutilized and it’s what sets us apart from everyone else,? he said. ‘A lot of people don’t like to see change but the reality is, if we didn’t have change, we’d all be riding around in horses and buggies.?