JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Crews are getting into place to demolish the RISE Doro apartment building after the city of Jacksonville gave word that the massive structure will come down.
The city is currently reviewing an emergency demolition permit filed on Jan. 30 that names ELEV8 Demolition of Jacksonville as the contractor for a $1 million project to tear down the fire-gutted RISE Doro apartment building, according to News4JAX news partner the Jacksonville Daily Record.
Mayor Donna Deegan said this week that city engineers determined the building was unstable and that the wood-framed portions would need to be demolished.
ELEV8 partner Ben Pfotenhauer told the Daily Record that an excavator will be used for the demolition, which will not include the concrete garage and foundation.
The RISE Doro property is on 1.38 acres along A. Philip Randolph Boulevard between Adams and Forsyth streets.
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On Wednesday, demolition crews began setting up around the massive apartment building that will now be torn down.
Rick Creel, who lives in Arlington, stared in wonder at the site of the fire on Wednesday.
“It’s crazy. I just hope everybody in Jacksonville gets a good look at what happens when you build your house out of sticks,” Creel said.
News4JAX stopped by Elev8 Demolition off Hecksher Drive on Wednesday. Workers said they were awarded the demolition contract Tuesday and are working on a public statement about the process.
Greg Davis, a demolition expert who owns the company Garbageman.com, told News4JAX Tuesday that engineers will manage how it’s safely brought down.
“When I think demolition, because I know nothing about it, I think bring in a big ball and start knocking it down. It’s not that simple. It’s not that simple because of the different types of materials in the building. Fire hazard, water damage. So it has a bunch of different layers that have to be assessed to make sure they’re demolishing it in the right way because there is a lot of regulations,” Davis said.
Until the building is torn down, roads and businesses surrounding the property will remain closed because of concerns the building could collapse.
The devastating fire initially sparked around 9:30 p.m. Sunday on the building’s sixth floor and firefighters were still putting out hot spots Wednesday morning.
City officials said they learned that the building’s fire sprinkler system did not activate because a final pressure check inspection had not been completed. It was scheduled for this week.
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No one was living in the RISE Doro building yet, but eight tenants were slated to move into the luxury apartments this weekend. No injuries were reported in the fire, which is still under investigation.
The developer has already said the company is committed to rebuilding.