Downtown apartment complex destroyed by fire now has a timeline for rebuilding

The builders of the apartment complex in downtown Raleigh that burned to the ground in March are about halfway through demolishing the concrete parking deck that remained.

Clancy & Theys Construction Co. reports it began the demolition at The Metropolitan about six weeks ago, and expects to take another six weeks to finish.

After that, it will take 16 to 18 months to rebuild the entire project at West Jones and North Harrington streets.

The concrete deck and a pair of towering stairwells were all that remained standing after the Metropolitan burned to the ground on March 16, in Raleigh’s worst fire since the 1920s. . Although the deck showed no visible signs of damage, it will be replaced to ensure structural integrity, the company said.

The apartment building was still under construction when it caught fire and did not yet have a sprinkler system. A spokesman for the city of Raleigh says the permits issued for the project have been updated and extended, and so are still in effect.

The fire broke out at night and quickly spread throughout hundreds of wood-framed apartments in the five-story building.

Despite an intensive investigation, the cause of the fire has not been determined.

It caused an estimated $50 million in damage, which included nearby apartment buildings, displacing tenants. There were no serious injuries reported.

Clancy & Theys has been an active builder in the region and elsewhere in the state. It recently completed the new Catholic cathedral in Raleigh and has begun a 194-unit apartment project in downtown Durham called Solis Brightleaf, which will include dining and retail.

This story was originally published September 5, 2017 at 3:29 PM with the headline "Downtown apartment complex destroyed by fire now has a timeline for rebuilding."