FORT SMITH, Ark. — On Thursday, the Fort Smith Central Improvement Business District Board approved the demolition of Adelaide Hall after a fire left it uninhabitable on Nov. 6.
"During the night, there was a fire that started, apparently in the kitchen, and it burned the building. Despite the fire department's best efforts, the structure is damaged beyond repair" said Rick Griffin, manager of Griffin Properties, which owns the building.
The building is right in the middle of downtown and has been a part of the city since 1871, making it the second oldest building in Downtown Fort Smith.
While operating as the home of Bricktown Brewery, they now have no choice but to tear it down.
"The building is unsafe in its current condition, and we're going to demolish it completely as soon as we can get all the permits in place and get the demolition contractor hired to make that happen," Griffin said.
This isn't the end of Adelaide Hall, however, as Griffin said they will rebuild it while maintaining its historic look.
"We're going to replace it with a new, modern structure that's historic in appearance, and we're working with Bricktown Brewery to bring them back and get them back in business as quickly as we can, because we want the new building to have some connections to the old building," Griffin said. "We have an architect already engaged, and we are doing our site planning. The things that you do to get your plans and specifications ready."
While many are sad to see this version of the building go, the city said safety always comes first.
"To lose a historic structure is always sad, but we know that safety is paramount. But to know that they will rebuild, it will be a positive thing for Fort Smith and for the region," Fort Smith Deputy City Administrator Maggie Rice said.
Griffin hopes that when it's rebuilt, the building will continue to be a staple in the city for years to come.
"I'm hopeful that 100 years from now, people are talking about the building we're going to replace it with as a historic structure, and that it's on some future National Historic Register," Griffin said.
The demolition date is currently unknown but as of now they are planning for early December.
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