News - Local - South County

Tuesday, Jun. 10, 2008

Fires may trigger revise for Nipomo center plan

The developer hopes to see the commercial/office project through; property owner seeks security

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A developer still hopes to build a large commercial /office project where the former Nipomo Recreation Center stands, despite a second suspicious fire to burn the structure in the past month.

Meanwhile, the property owner is looking into security measures such as fencing and filing an insurance claim after Sunday’s fire tore through the remains of the building.

The former recreation center was first burned May 7, and County/Cal Fire officials estimated the blaze caused $1 million in damage.

Three teens are accused of starting the May fire, and authorities said they were in custody during Sunday’s blaze.

“We’re disappointed in this,” said Rob Marinai, a representative of Oakland-based developer Elevation 77. “We’re disappointed that they caught three kids, and it still happened again.”

Marinai said his company has received approval from the county Planning Commission for a project that includes 60,000 square feet of retail and office space, a 70-room hotel and about 50 condominiums.

The goal is to start building in six months to a year, but Marinai didn’t know how the fires would affect plans.

“We hope it won’t be delayed, but we may have to go back and revise plans,” he said.

Marinai said the center was going to be used as part of the commercial use planned for the project.

The cause of Sunday’s fire is unknown.

A few cans and a bag were left in the room where the fire began and were being searched for evidence, fire investigators said.

Former property owner Edward Shapiro, who said he still has a financial interest in the project, said he believes the center is destroyed and likely will need to be torn down.

Shapiro emphasized that Elevation 77 will need to make the decision on how to proceed with the construction.

“I can’t imagine the center has any use anymore,” Shapiro said. “I don’t know how you can salvage any building.”

Shapiro said Elevation 77 bought out his interest in the property about six weeks ago, and he often had trouble keeping people out of the building.

A few years ago, he allowed people to use the center for basketball but stopped because of liability issues.

The center was boarded up after the May fire, but Shapiro said the boarding was torn down and people were getting inside.

The interior of the building had apparent gang-related graffiti after Sunday’s blaze.

“The building was boarded up, which is a normal thing after a fire, but my understanding is that they got in,” Shapiro said.

Marinai said the company is looking into fencing and other security measures to keep people away from the building.

He said Elevation 77 also is working out insurance details to receive compensation for the damage.