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Overlook project destroyed in fire

By: Garrett Andrews//August 19, 2016//

Overlook project destroyed in fire

Garrett Andrews//August 19, 2016//

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A fire Wednesday night destroyed a three-story, six-unit condominium structure that was under construction near North Killingsworth Street and Minnesota Avenue. (Sam Tenney/91视频)
A fire early Wednesday morning destroyed a three-story, six-unit condominium structure under construction near North Killingsworth Street and Minnesota Avenue. (Sam Tenney/91视频)

A $1.1 million condo project in Portland鈥檚 Overlook neighborhood was completely destroyed early Wednesday in a fire of unknown origins.

Thirty units with Portland Fire and Rescue responded just after 4 a.m.

鈥淎t this point, the fire marshal is saying it could be intentional, and it could be unintentional,鈥 said Adrian Vasile, principal of builder/developer AV Pacific. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 a total loss. I鈥檝e never seen such a thing.鈥

Prior to the fire, AV Pacific workers were adding finishes to the three-story, six-unit structure near the intersection of North Minnesota Avenue and Killingsworth Street. Work started in February.

The project was about two and a half months from completion 鈥 the roof was on and the rough-in plumbing, heating, venting and sprinklers were nearly all in. The crew was ready to add drywall to the interior.

Vasile learned his project was gone after his wife saw a story on the fire on the morning news.

鈥淚t鈥檚 sad, first of all,鈥 he said. 鈥淎ll your work for half a year is gone. I mean, I鈥檓 not a big firm and I鈥檓 there every day. It鈥檚 sad for my subs 鈥 I鈥檝e used the same ones for years.鈥

Vasile was in the process of drafting bylaws for a homeowners association, and was working to formalize the name chosen for the project 鈥 Overlook Pointe. After news of the fire reached him, he switched to making calls to his bank and insurer.

He guessed the fire could have been caused by transients. The project had been received positively by neighbors, he said, in part because it was replacing a duplex associated with squatters and bad behavior.

Vasile moved to the U.S. from Romania 26 years ago. In the 10 years he has developed projects in the Portland area, he has built many similar ones featuring condos. For Overlook Pointe, he had hoped to get $315,000 per unit, he said.

鈥淚 feel pretty bad, to be honest,鈥 he said. 鈥淵ou’re putting up finishes one day, you鈥檙e making plans, and the next day it鈥檚 totally gone and you don鈥檛 know what to do. Nobody got hurt at least.鈥

 

Sam Tenney/91视频

A three-story, six-unit condominium structure under construction near North Killingsworth Street and Minnesota Avenue was destroyed by a fire last week.

 



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