Finishing blaze’s job

The Dorian Studios portion of the Joel Building in downtown Spokane will be demolished, and the cause of the fire that caused millions of dollars in damage to the structure may never be known.

A letter issued by the city Tuesday gave permission for the photo studio owners to tear down their section of the building within 30 days. Fire and insurance investigators have labeled the July 24 fire’s cause as undetermined.

“We applied for the demolition permit after considering as many options as possible to preserve the structure,” said Dorian owner John Mark. “It’s not something that was arrived at lightly. Basically this was the safest, most reasonable approach.”

Two engineers determined the severely fire-damaged, three-story portion of the building was structurally unsound. With winter coming, snowfall was a concern, Mark said.

“Certainly, the building has its historical value, and we have a sentimental attachment to it,” Mark said. “Like us, I’m sure there will be people sad to see it come down. We look forward to the day when it again is something we can all be proud of.”

Last summer, as the photography studio was preparing for its busiest season – when high schoolers schedule their senior photos – a fire erupted in or near the basement, according to investigative reports. The blaze burned through three floors, destroying the studio.

Churchill’s Steakhouse and the Lofts at Joel – a 16-unit condominium project on the second and third floors – suffered smoke and water damage but were untouched by fire.

Brick walls divide the building into four parts.

The restaurant and condominium areas of the building were declared structurally sound, officials said. The blaze caused between $4.6 million and $5 million in damage.

Investigators found three possible causes, said Spokane Fire Assistant Chief Brian Schaeffer: It started outside somewhere; equipment in the basement malfunctioned; or it was caused by old wiring in the building.

The Fire Department’s official finding is “the cause of the fire is undetermined,” Schaeffer said. “It may be listed that way forever because the area was so badly burned, it was inaccessible for so long, and the debris covered it (areas of the fire origin) up for so long.

“The asbestos in the building also caused a huge delay,” he said.

Meanwhile, the demolition decision was welcomed by Churchill’s owner Bill Alles, who said he’ll reopen the steakhouse, although he doesn’t know when.

“I’ve been waiting on that decision and the condo developers,” Alles said Wednesday.

Ron Wells, a Lofts at Joel co-owner, said the building’s roof has been repaired, but much work remains.

“We are happy to be able to get closer to rebuilding our side,” he said.

Dorian Studios will not return to the downtown site. The business is currently split into four locations, Mark said.

“We couldn’t be any more happy with the efforts of our employees, the loyalty of the customers and the support of the community,” said Mark, adding he hopes the business will eventually be in one place again.

“We want to be whole as soon as possible,” Mark said.