JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Update: Permit records through the city of Jacksonville show a permit was created Tuesday for ELEV8 Demolition to complete the demolition of the RISE apartment building's fire damaged structure. The concrete garage and foundation will remain. The demolition will cost $1 million.
The frame of the $60 million RISE Doro apartment building will have to be demolished after a massive fire that began Sunday night and was still smoking Monday evening, according to Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan. The building remains at risk of collapse.
The project, part of an initiative to revitalize Downtown Jacksonville, has been in the works since 2019. Eight residents were set to move in this weekend.
Deegan, Jacksonville Fire & Rescue Department Chief Keith Powers and RISE president Greg Blaise held a press conference Monday evening to provide an update on the fire.
"This is clearly a setback and our hearts are broken about it," Deegan said. "But it's not gonna stop our forward momentum Downtown."
Blaise said that RISE remains committed to the Downtown project and they "absolutely" want to rebuild.
Firefighters to stay overnight
JFRD will stay on scene throughout Monday night, Powers said.
Hot spots continued to flare up throughout the day, because crews cannot fight the fire from inside due to lack of structural integrity.
Four ladders will stay at the building at all four corners. The hoses will stay off until there is a flare up and then JFRD will spray water.
Powers said that JFRD does not want to continuously spray water because they are concerned about runoff going into the St. Johns River.
JFRD will either stay until they feel the building is completely safe or until the demolition starts.
Blaise says that the concrete foundation of the building will be tested for integrity. "God willing," he said, it will be unaffected, sustainable and usable.
If it is not safe, that will also be demolished.
Businesses to close, Icemen to go on
Businesses surrounding RISE will be shut down until the risk of collapse is gone.
Intuition Ale Works, Manifest Distilling and the offices on A. Phillip Randolph Boulevard are all in the collapse zone and will be closed.
The Icemen are playing twice this week and those games will not be canceled. However, the parking garage near Vystar will be closed as it is also in the collapse zone.
What happened?
It is still unknown what started the fire. "None of us (know)," Blaise said.
Powers said that security footage will be analyzed to try to find a cause.
Deegan says that there was a pressure test scheduled for the sprinkler system this weekend. It had not yet been activated and did not deploy when the fire began, preventing the fire from being quickly detained.
The fire began at 9:30 p.m. Sunday between the sixth and seventh floors of the building.
It was deemed a three alarm fire and at its peak, there were 115 firefighters on scene.
Environmental impacts
Air quality has been tested and is in a safe range, Deegan said.
Environmental agencies have been alerted about potential poisons in the St. Johns River.
They will test the river for toxins in the days to come. JFRD is working to avoid as much runoff as possible.
Displaced tenants
Eight families were set to move in this upcoming weekend, though the complex officially opens March 1.
Blaise said that RISE is working to settle those families in their other buildings. The company operates seven buildings in Jacksonville.
Deegan said the city is also working with displaced tenants who were scheduled to move in March.