Back Again

New condos in sight for victims of Westgate fire

By John Howell
Posted 5/19/16

It's been more than a year since fire rapidly consumed Building C of Westgate Condominiums on Quaker Lane. Now, Building C is back, although it's going to be several months longer before the 38 condo owners move back in. Not only does the

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Back Again

New condos in sight for victims of Westgate fire

Posted

It’s been more than a year since fire rapidly consumed Building C of Westgate Condominiums on Quaker Lane.

Now, Building C is back, although it’s going to be several months longer before the 38 condo owners move back in.

Not only does the new building meet today’s fire codes – the units all have sprinklers – but within a few weeks the entire complex will be served by a high-pressure Kent County Water Authority line. This will allow the complex to decommission booster pumps needed to provide sufficient pressure for unit services as well as the emergency pumping system to charge the four on-property hydrants, said William Herendeen, property manager for Churchill & Banks and secretary of the Westgate Condo Association, in an interview Tuesday.

Herendeen, who lost his unit to the fire, has been coordinating the reconstruction of Building C. He’s first to say the overall project hasn’t proceeded as quickly as he would have hoped for. Throwing the project for a curve was replacing each unit square foot to square foot while meeting today’s stricter building codes. To meet those codes, architects designed all the units to be handicap accessible. That proved to be problematic, as the units wouldn’t be a one-for-one replacement as spelled out in insurance coverage.

Working with the city, Herendeen and the condo association was able to gain waivers to some requirements. The building is handicap assessable, but not all units. That put the overall project behind schedule, and Herendeen’s initial hopes of having owners back in their units this June or July out of reach.

He is cautious about suggesting a month for completion, but would like to see it this fall.

“No one wants it done faster than me,” Herendeen said. “I want it done and done right.”

And from what Herendeen says, condo owners will get back what they lost, from appliances to remodeled kitchens and bathrooms.

“If they had a $20,000 or $30,000 kitchen, they’ll get back a $20,000 or $30,000 kitchen,” he said.

Herendeen said packages for each of the 38 units were finalized within the last week. He praised Liberty Mutual for its inclusive coverage. Sheet rock has been completed on the first floor and started on the second. The third floor is ready for sheet rock, he added. Also, some units on the first floor have been plastered, as well as the exit stairways.

The city also reports progress.

In response to an inquiry as to the status of the building by Mayor Scott Avedisian, city building official Alfred T. DeCorte wrote in an email that meetings discussing all applicable codes have been held and that agreements were reached on design standards. He said inspections have been performed as scheduled.

City Fire Marshal Peter Marietti also responded to the mayor, reporting that inspections are being conducted. In a letter dated Tuesday to condo owners, Avedisian wrote that he met with Herendeen and he’s been assured construction will be completed to a level that will allow for finish work to begin after July 4.

Building C burned in a spectacular morning fire that could be seen from across Narragansett Bay. Efforts to bring the March 11, 2015, blaze under control were hampered by low water pressure within the complex’s private system and the inability of firefighters to make connection with an exterior hydrant. Eventually, hoses were strung to the adjoining condominium complex. Tanker trucks from outside the city were also able to assist.

While the cause of the fire was never identified, repairs to Building C were being done at the time, including the replacement of walls resulting from leaks caused by ice dams on the roof. The fire started in that section of the building, and it is thought heaters used to dry out the area could have been responsible.

In addition to an upgrade in water service to the complex, Herendeen said the association is exploring the installation of sprinklers in Buildings A and B. Installing a basic system, he said, would be in the range of $40,000 to $45,000 per building and would require approval of the condo owners. Upgrading the water service with the high-pressure line, he estimated, would cost the association more than $200,000.

Those who lost their condos to the fire continue to pay association fees, which have been reduced by $25 a month to account for the absence of Building C expenses as well as their mortgages. City taxes were reduced, and as of the Dec. 31, 2015, assessment, the building didn’t exist on which to base taxes. Herendeen notes that will kick back in for the assessment of this Dec. 31.

“The city stepped up and did everything they said they would do,” he said.

Looking ahead to the day when the units will be ready, Herendeen is considering a phased-in reopening as units are completed, provided a certificate of occupancy can be worked out with the city. Not only would that enable some condo owners back into their property sooner, but it would also avoid what he envisions would be a log jam if all 38 units were deemed suitable for occupancy simultaneously.

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