(Photos and text condensed from various sources)

     Tuesday, January 15, 2008

The fire started early in the morning and spread quickly through the common attic roof space into our shop. It took the firemen more than 6 hours to bring the fire under control.

The roof is burned off the building with the sign Wm. G. Willikers Antiques, along with the rooftops of what may be one or two separate attached addresses.

The buildings are three-story and fairly deep (the better part of a block long). Firefighters appear to have stopped the fire at the attached exposure on Side D of the antiques firm (at least the roof is still intact). Mostly steam coming from the buildings with occasional flare ups.

Counting a snorkel and four tower-ladders working.

Crews from 10 area fire companies are on the scene. No injuries have been reported. That area of downtown Cambridge has been temporarily blocked off to the public.

     Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Rally Held To Save Damaged Cambridge Building

It's a race against the clock to save a historic Eastern Shore building. The building was damaged during a fire in Cambridge last week and is slated to be torn down.

The walls and ceiling of the historic building were damaged in that Jan. 15 fire but the facade remains intact, and it's that facade the people of Cambridge are trying to save.

There were smoke plumes high above the shops along Race Street in Cambridge. The seven-alarm fire broke out in a historic building, causing $1.5 million in damages. The building was condemned and set for demolition.

At a rally on Wednesday, the people of Cambridge gathered to sign a petition to halt that demolition. They believe they have the funds needed to make the building structurally sound.

"We wanted to ask the city of Cambridge to pause and take a deep breath and take a look at these historic facades, because once they come down, they can never be replaced," said Chad Malkus.

Sims Rogers' antiques shop is located in that building. She lost her store but is still trying to save the facade above it.

"It's not our building but [it's] a part of downtown Cambridge," she said.

At the rally, praise and thanks were given to the almost 300 firefighters, EMS and police who brought the blaze under control.

Street Partially Reopens By Cambridge Fire Scene

"Exactly two weeks after a huge fire that ruined two Cambridge antiques stores and damaged two adjacent buildings, the street near the buildings has partially reopened."

"Local developer Brett Summers is buying the ruined properties and told city commissioners Monday he has found a company that will erect a steel brace to stabilize the facades."

"Recovery efforts continue on Race Street after the Jan. 15 fire that destroyed two businesses. The latest developments:

"With heavy-duty steel beams set in concrete, the facade of the building at 444–448 Race Street, gutted by the downtown fire, has been stabilized. The 400 block of Race Street is now one-way southbound, with parking on both sides of the street. The sidewalk in front of the building is open with a covered walkway."

"Brett Summers, the local developer who recently purchased the fire-damaged property, plans to submit construction drawings for rebuilding at the site by August 2009. He also plans to pursue historic tax credits, which help developers recoup some of their construction expenses while ensuring the property adheres to historic guidelines."

As you can see, the building was pretty much destroyed, and along with it some 35 years of accumulated antiques business stuff: tools, fancy veneers and lumber saved for restoration projects; the stuff for running shows: banners, signs, canopies, and the like; the stuff for doing shows as a dealer: lights, walls, rolls of paper, shelves and stands; an extensive collection of reference books; and, of course, inventory...

It appears that we will be able to get into the rubble of the shop next week.

So, more news then...