CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A residential development company is committed to finishing plans for an apartment complex in South Park after a massive fire in May burned a large part of the construction area.
Mill Creek Residential, a Florida-based development company, told WCNC Charlotte on Tuesday that plans have been submitted to demolish what's left of the partially constructed apartments on Liberty Row Drive. The company plans to rebuild the apartments after the demolition takes place.
"We hope to complete all demolition activities by the end of 2023 and start the rebuild process immediately thereafter," a company spokesperson said in a statement. "The plans for the community will remain the same."
Construction on the Mill Creek project was halted after a five-alarm fire on May 18 destroyed much of the construction area and left two construction workers dead.
The project began in 2022 with the apartments expected to open in spring 2024 before the fire changed those plans. No timeline has been given by Mill Creek on when the project will be completed.
Demolition permits submitted were some of the first documents submitted through Mecklenburg County's permit website since the deadly fire.
Several agencies began investigating the construction company's operational procedures and safety measures after the fire broke out.
The construction company was found to be in violation of multiple North Carolina Fire Code requirements, including the lack of a standpipe.
The North Carolina Department of Labor also continues to investigate the fire.
Regardless of these previous issues, Mill Creek officials say they are committed to safety.
“We take matters relating to safety very seriously and are forever mindful of the grief caused by this unfortunate tragedy. Our projects are designed and constructed to comply with local and national safety codes," a spokesperson said in a statement. "We will also continue to implement best practices to help avoid situations like this in the future, including during construction.”