Holy crap! I came home (and it took me an hour to go three blocks to my house) which is about three blocks away from the brand new Mill Creek Town Hall complex center. I’m a former firefighter. I’ve never seen so many rigs at a construction site in my life.
This is devastating. I mean who winds up taking the $$$ hit for this: the bonding company? The taxpayers? I certainly hope no one was injured or killed, but wow! How does that happen? Unbelievable.
I don’t know if it was the new town hall or the apartment complex, but it was quite the sight. I live on the Taylorsville bluff and was watching it from an upstairs window through binoculars. The intensity was stunning. I hate to even estimate how high the flames were going up, but they were at least three times as high as the top of the construction project.
The Tribune is reporting one non-firefighter injury. I hope it’s not too serious and it’s amazing with that heat that there was only one injury. I can’t help but think that nearby businesses have some damage as well. Hyland Cyclery is my go-to shop, and they were right next door.
PS - were you a firefighter in SL County? If so, did you know now retired Deputy Chief Mike Watson?
It’s the new apartments under construction behind Adib’s rug gallery/Villa Theater. It’s not far from my house. Could see the flames through the trees at my place.
No I do not. I was a firefighter in Massachusetts - like100 years ago - My next door neighbor though is a firefighter with unified and have a dear dear pre-med buddy who’s a paramedic with Air Med.
It’s funny though, because whenever this like a major event like something like this always triggers me.
I’m sure your friend is a very decent man. Deputy Chief is a very high rank with a lot of responsibility
Then we are neighbors!
I definitely look forward to meeting you guys someday
1 Like
It was a partially framed apartment project, which is part of Millcreek’s new City Center project but the city’s offices are still in the old Woodbury shopping mall across 3300 South. The new city hall will be just south of this structure by about 100 yards but construction hasn’t commenced yet. But to answer your question on who’s to pay for it, the contractor and owner both have insurance for this type of (I hope) accident. When the city moves forward with its building it too will have the same property casualty/fire insurance just like a private owner. I’m intimately involved in the planning of this area. I’m grateful no one was killed, the old Villa Theatre/Adib’s Rug Gallery survived, other businesses survived and they can rebuild relatively quickly. Thank you Unified Fire Authority!!!
1 Like
I agree wholeheartedly!
I thought that structure as it went up was part of the whole City Creek complex, so I’m grateful to hear that town ordinances will continue without tremendous disruption, however I am sorry for the loss of private investor’s
That said, we drop off a modest rug at Abib’s every year for cleaning and always try to support local businesses
A fire at Abib’s would be astronomically devastating; not just financially but culturally and artistically.
We’ve lived in Mill Creek for 16 years and we really love it here. In some ways Mill Creek is really kind of coming into itself and perhaps SugarHouse is becoming encumbered by overwhelming urban growth. Besides, we actually get a glimpse of the mountains here in our modest little homes.
3 Likes
I think you’ll like the new open space park with the winter ice ribbon, a main floor farmer’s market interactive space, a top floor reception/public area and a new great pizza joint (Pizzeria Nono) that they’re framing right now. That whole area will transform in the near future, despite today’s horrible tragedy.
2 Likes
You can say that again! that place is full of mounds of wonderful art, of the old fashioned kind, made of wool and craftsmanship.
We have a couple of old rugs that came to us from grandparent’s estates, that we have cleaned/repaired there periodically, and I always marvel at the volume and quality inside.
In a previous life (40+ years ago now, while a senior in high school) , I took a part time job with a motion picture distribution company, and met and became friends with several of the older gentlemen who had been key players in the local motion picture business, two of whom had built and operated the original Villa Theatre a few decades prior.
That was a beautiful old motion picture theater, and had the industry not been about to change so dramatically, I would have been pleased to spend a career working in it, and working with the likes of the owners of that theater (some of my most important mentors).
As it was, I recognized there were dramatic changes coming , re-enrolled in school, and completed an education in and just finishing up a career in computer science. It was the correct choice, but realistically, probably my second choice,
4 Likes