FLAGLER CENTER MOVES AHEAD WITH REBUILD AFTER FIRE

Displaced Businesses Have Found New Locations

MANDY MILES mandy@keysweekly.com

It’s been eight months since a pre-dawn fire, during the height of Hurricane Ian’s high winds and flooding, destroyed about 10 businesses and 14 apartments at Flagler Center, 3201 Flagler Ave.

Steve Robbins, the building’s owner, told the Keys Weekly on May 16 that the rebuild is progressing.

The concrete shell of the building has been tested for strength and all is good, and an architect has been hired to draw up the initial plans for the redo, Robbins said.

As for the businesses that were displaced, two have reopened next door to each other in the 1700 block of N. Roosevelt Boulevard.

Dr. Carter Weber and his dental practice, Southernmost Smiles, is now adjacent to Gandara Kitchen Tile in the former Oppenheimer Eye Clinic location. Dr. Weber had been keeping patients updated on his Facebook page and as of February announced that the new office was nearly complete.

It is now fully operational.

Robbins, who owns Barrett Printing and Local Awards — two businesses that were inside Flagler Center — also moved his operation to 913 Eaton St., the home of Southernmost Signs.

“I bought Southernmost Signs, which is still in its same location at 913 Eaton St.,” he said. “But I also moved the other two businesses to that location and are up and running.”

Robbins added that employees of Barnes Alarms are working from home, as are most staff of Ward & Meyers accounting firm, although they have rented a small office at 3706 N Roosevelt Blvd., in the plaza next to McDonald’s, Robbins said.

“Curry Printing is still in business and handling jobs out of their homes and in conjunction with their son’s printing business out of town,” Robbins said. “Island Refrigeration moved into the old Dion’s corporate offices at 638 United St., and Melissa Munoz of Bone Island Chiropractic is sharing office space with fellow chiropractor Steve Oropeza in Luani Plaza on Kennedy Drive.”

The cause of the fire was undetermined, but is thought to have started in a “chaseway,” or area between the two floors that contains miles of electrical wiring, Robbins said.

The damage is estimated to be $12.8 million, according to reports from the Key West Fire Department and fire and insurance investigators.

The fire started before dawn on Sept. 28, while Hurricane Ian fanned the flames with 50 mph winds and flooded nearby roads.

“High hurricane force winds quickly spread the fire from west to east, through the utility chase that ran the entire length of the structure,” wrote Key West Fire Department shift commander David Zarate in his report. “Once the roof began to show distortion and the eaves began to sag, I changed from offense to defense and ordered all (firefighting) personnel out of the structure.”