The smoldering ruins of the RISE Doro apartments are finally beginning to transform, as construction crews have been hard at work since early January. This activity comes a full year after the luxury apartment complex in downtown Jacksonville was ravaged by a calamitous blaze, changing the face of the downtown sports district it was intended to complement. According to Action News Jax, tenants were originally expected to move into the building just days after the inferno broke out.
In a statement obtained by News4Jax, developers are committed to not only reconstruct the complex, but also ensure it returns stronger. The estimated reconstruction cost, however is not trivial—rising from the ashes of a $60 million loss, the process is expected to stretch over several more months before it welcomes new residents. While the building itself was poised to be a beacon of luxury, the fire indeed, changed everything for those banking on its promise.
Despite the destruction, the core portion of the RISE Doro apartments which included the lobby area, were shielded from the fire by the robust concrete parking garage structure. Greg Blais, president of RISE real estate, indicated in an interview with First Coast News, that materials and finishes in this section were mostly in their final condition, ready for the imminent move-ins that were expected. Furthermore, the rooftop pool and bar, which were attractions of the apartment complex, also survived the flames and will be part of the reconstructed property.
The fire's origin, however, remains wrapped in uncertainty. An official report released on January 6 by the state fire marshal classified the cause as undetermined, citing irregular electrical activity as the 'most probable cause.' This finding, unveiled months after investigative efforts, included observations of electrical odors the day of the fire. "I'm not surprised. I think those of us at RISE, in having the conversations the many months leading up to the completion of that report with the state fire marshal's office, I think we realized that it was gonna be tough to uncover or discover the actual cause of the fire. Would we like to know? Yeah, absolutely, as a developer operator, owner, oh, I'd wanna know. I wanna know what caused the fire. Will I ever? No, I won't unfortunately," Blais told First Coast News. Scrutiny had been cast on the issue of permits as well, with some claiming work proceeded without proper authorization. However the City of Jacksonville confirmed that all necessary permits for mechanical, fire, and electrical work were active and had passed inspections during the construction phase.
