Old Mill fire damage may near $750,000

As the investigation and cleanup process continues at Old Mill Plaza, the picture of exactly what happened the night of Nov. 23 gradually is becoming clearer.

Old Mill Plaza managing member and part owner Bret Burton said the fire didn’t start in a small kitchen as originally thought.

Investigators now believe the fire appears to have started in the ceiling above the Santa Fe room on the east side of the plaza.

Burton said there were a couple of junction boxes and a heating unit above the meeting space.

The roof structure consists of wood and insulation, which can burn rapidly.

While the exact dollar amount regarding damages is yet to be determined, Burton said insurance adjusters have given him a ballpark figure.

“The insurance companies have said somewhere around $750,000,” Burton said. “It might have approached a million (dollars); we don’t know.”

In addition to National Catastrophe Response Inc., Burton credited construction and electrical crews and carpet installers for their help with restoration.

“They’ve all responded to us very well and have gotten work done in a timely manner,” Burton said.

Burton said he hopes to have all the displaced tenants back at the plaza in early January.

Reba’s Restaurant, which is on the east side of the plaza, required a lot of attention but didn’t suffer as much smoke damage as businesses on the west side and soon will be ready to open.

Reba Ballard said she needs time to get her refrigeration up and running and prepare menu items, but expects to be open no later than next Tuesday.

“Their space is all ready,” Burton said of the restaurant. “Reba’s cleaned up really nicely.”

The dental office of Drs. Harold Gregg and Thomas Bette and the Pacesetter Hair Studio were the two businesses with the most smoke damage. Gregg and Bette are operating out of a temporary office at 504 N. Main St.

Pacesetter Hair Studio owner Nancy Campa and salon co-worker Brandi Hankins are operating out of two separate locations.

Campa is at the Charm Salon at Alco Plaza, while Hankins is at Classic Cuts and Styles at 428 E. First St.

Campa said there isn’t enough room available for her to work in the same temporary facility as her co-worker, which is one of the frustrations she’s experiencing.

In addition to smoke damage, Pacesetter suffered structural damage, which will require some additional work.

Campa said her insurance agent told her of damages to the trusses and roof above the salon, as well as in a wall, separating Pacesetter from the former Old Mill Plaza Restaurant.

Burton said that at least one side of the wall is likely going to require demolition.

“We want to make sure we get contaminated materials out of the wall,” he said.

The contaminated materials include smoke-damaged insulation. Despite the prospect of demolition, Burton said he hopes Pacesetter will be able to return to Old Mill Plaza the first or second week of January.

Campa said she hadn’t heard the timetable for a possible return to the plaza.

“We haven’t been notified by the owners of the building yet,” Campa said. “They haven’t contacted me about anything yet. We’re still waiting. We’re in total limbo.”

NCRI has been helping Campa clean up and take inventory of the products in the salon. Campa said most of the product is unsalvageable. In addition to providing haircuts and spa treatments, the Pacesetter Hair Studio sold products.

“The retail end of it is really non-existent now, which is huge,” Campa said.

Campa bought the Pacesetter salon in 2001. She said she built up a “very good” clientele and was having trouble keeping a steady stream of business in her current, less accommodating location.

Despite forwarding calls to the Pacesetter salon to her cell phone, Campa said she’s lost a lot of business with walk-in traffic and lost gift cards, which hurts this time of year.

On top of the stress of regenerating business, Campa said she had a death in the family a couple weeks ago.

“It just seems like one hit after another,” Campa said. “It’s been tough.”

While Burton has shifted his attention to help the salon and dental office return to Old Mill Plaza, he’s also been involved in discussions to expand business at the structure.

Burton said there have been talks about putting retail shops where the Santa Fe and Warkentin meeting rooms are located, and putting office spaces in the former Old Mill Plaza restaurant and adjoining kitchen.

He said the plaza’s ownership group will need to meet with architects and commercial real estate agents to best determine what to do with the space.

“We want to do what works best,” Burton said.