A four-alarm blaze that drew firefighters from many neighboring towns this morning tore through a three-story apartment building that was under construction since early last year.
At least three helicopters hovered overhead this morning, capturing video of the roof fire and some reports indicated reached as far as Manhattan’s West Side Highway. St. Georges Avenue was closed for most of the day from West Hazelwood Avenue and/or West Milton Avenue to West Grand Avenue, with traffic jamming side streets during the morning rush.
This story from Patch.com quotes the fire chief as calling the building “finished” after Tuesday’s fire. Mayor Rick Proctor, who was sworn in Monday night, told MyCentralJersey.com: “I’ve got to figure it’s a total loss.”
We posted an update about the project in October and in August, when Jim Sisto, president of Fanwood-based Sisto Realty, said he expected it would be mostly done by October and completed by the new year. In recent weeks, the building took on a new look, with the dark-colored mansard-type roof. Many of the initial reports called the building a condo complex but it was actually planned as rental apartments. Of the 5o units, 37 were planned as two-bedrooms, with 13 one-bedrooms.
The 5-acre site was a wooded area for years before trees were cleared in summer 2009 to make way for construction. Plans to build there go back even farther though, when the Zoning Board rejected a 60-unit application for the site in March 2003 (.pdf). The builder appealed before 50 units were approved in 2004. The Zoning Board granted extensions each year through September 2009 as the developer awaited approvals from the state departments of environmental protection and transportation (St. Georges/Route 27 being a state highway).
For more photos or video of the blaze, keep an eye on Facebook or our Twitter updates (top of the page on the right).
Nothing blows your mind like having the BBC report on a fire in Rahway.Seems like someone didn't want it, but what is done is done. Arson? Jewish Lightening?Good to know that no firefighters or nearby people were injured.
Scary stuff. Glad nobody was injured.Arson allegations will arise – any word on how full the building was? Few leases signed would mean the owners would operate at a major loss during the first few years. A fire provides a way to wipe the slate and rebuild at today's cheaper construction and interest rates. At least that's what the crackpots on nj.com and mycentraljersey.com are saying.I suppose Skyview and independent landlords on craigslist would benefit with 50 units wiped from the competition.A burned-out hulk doesn't exactly add to the "next Hoboken" vibe. How long before it gets redone or torn down at the very least?
At least we dont have birds falling out of the sky….yet.
"Jewish Lightening"?Aren't we above using derogatory remarks for possible arson?Sheesh.
anybody know who the architect is/was?
Thanks Sivyaleah, I am Jewish and I took offense to that comment.
I am too. Hence my remark.
Sorry you took offense to the slang terminology. I was using random words and it was not meant to aggravate or hurt your feelings. If I were to try and hurt your feelings you would know it..that is a fact. Again, if I hated Jewish people I wouldn't have them as friends.