The Canton ( formerly Residences at Classen Curve)

[Bellaboo]

I saw it smoking from North of Piedmont at 3:45 this afternoon.

[DowntownMan]

Demolition won’t take long if the rest of the building falls like this. Will just be a cleanup operation at that point.
https://twitter.com/kocoshelbym/stat...706599431?s=21

[Mr. Cotter]

Demo is already happening.

[ChrisHayes]

I figured demolition would begin pretty quick. They need to tear down large parts of the building to get to hidden areas of fire. Not to mention it's becoming extremely structurally unsound. I imagine and hope that all of the concrete elements can be salvaged. If the foundation, parking garage, and stairwells can all be salvaged, then reconstruction won't take as long as the original construction did. It's just a shame that it would take place when materials are more expensive. Hopefully the clean up process and the process of authorizing construction can be done very quickly and not take months on end.

[Plutonic Panda]

Was this arson?

[Bowser214]

A similar fire at a Houst Apartment complex under construction back in 2020
https://www.fox26houston.com/news/ma...west-harris-co

[OKCisOK4me]

Was this arson?

It could have been that or a number of things. I'm betting on a number of things. Unfortunate nonetheless, but they have insurance. It's just gonna take forever for the investigation and payout before anything can move forward.

It's my hope that they can adjust with this new sight and rebuild right, so that if this scenario happens with actual tenants, it won't happen in the same manner.

[pw405]

From what I heard on the news last night, the roof collapsed from the water weight, which caused the fire to spread rapidly. I don't think a fire wall would have helped much in this situation, unfortunately.

This seems inexcusable... a while I realize a fire hose puts out a large amount of water, the weight of the water from a torrential downpour covering EVERY square inch of the roof would almost certainly be more. The water & weight from the firehouse should drain off in the same manner a thunderstorm would. This project should not be allowed to be rebuilt exactly as-is IMHO. Design considerations for fire safety & firefighter access should be taken in to account... god forbid hundreds of families were living here at the time.

[Dob Hooligan]

I would suggest it seems inaccurate. TV news “event” coverage, such as this, requires a higher volume of talk to accompany the riveting video. Complex issues don’t get the time on air or depth of verification they should. The water added weight to a fire damaged structure that would have held up otherwise.

Seems to me that the massive apartment fires we hear about are always at nearly completed buildings. I think a big factor is the sprinkler systems can’t be working until the risk of freezing is eliminated (via working HVAC, which appears to be about the last item done) . I don’t recall ever hearing about these type fires happening in occupied complexes.

[soonergooner]

I wonder if there were any variances granted on this design. My impression of this from a casual distance has been that it nothing more than cheap construction thrown up in haste to take advantage of the boom. Fire breaks will never work when not installed. How was it possible the fire suppression system was not charged on a structure due to open soon.

[Teo9969]

Saw flames coming out of the building second morning in a row coming over the overpass at Western and I-44. Pretty insane fire and do not remember the last time a fire like this happened in OKC (whatever that apt complex on n NW 10th excluded)

[crimsoncrazy]

I wonder how much more expensive it will be to rebuild this next time.

[therhett17]

https://www.news9.com/story/620490da...W-GA-n4K49YQZg

News 9 is reporting that they were supposed to open March 1st, but only had 12 applications and no leases signed. Some folks in the comments are suspecting an inside arson job

[G.Walker]

With the booming real estate market right now and booming apartment sales, I find that hard to believe. No leases on 325 units, come on...

[jccouger]

https://www.news9.com/story/620490da...W-GA-n4K49YQZg

News 9 is reporting that they were supposed to open March 1st, but only had 12 applications and no leases signed. Some folks in the comments are suspecting an inside arson job

I think by folks you meant to say conspiracy theorists.

[runOKC]

https://www.news9.com/story/620490da...W-GA-n4K49YQZg

News 9 is reporting that they were supposed to open March 1st, but only had 12 applications and no leases signed. Some folks in the comments are suspecting an inside arson job

There’s no way this is accurate. I know of at least one person who had a move-in date.

[MagzOK]

Wow, I didn't realize they didn't really have anything in terms of leases in hand. Initially I would have thought it'd be sold up and ready, very hot! But yes, that makes me wonder now were they completely overpriced or what was wrong? Hmmmm, that does open up some questions.

[Plutonic Panda]

https://www.news9.com/story/620490da...W-GA-n4K49YQZg

News 9 is reporting that they were supposed to open March 1st, but only had 12 applications and no leases signed. Some folks in the comments are suspecting an inside arson job

Yeah I really find it hard to believe if they were opening on March first they didn’t have a single lease signed. This is a prime area that makes no sense.

[LocoAko]

I think by folks you meant to say conspiracy theorists.

I've seen similar takes circulating on Twitter suggesting it was arson to get the insurance payout, etc. It's not isolated, unfortunately.

[sooner88]

There’s no way this is accurate. I know of at least one person who had a move-in date.

I know several people who had sent in applications, and others who were moving in in the next 2-3 weeks. Seems very hyperbolic.

[Pete]

It makes zero logical sense to think that this one very well located and nice development would not be able to sign leases when every other apartment complex in town is nearly full.

Especially because of the area and the almost complete lack of rental units.

[Dob Hooligan]

I wonder if there were any variances granted on this design. My impression of this from a casual distance has been that it nothing more than cheap construction thrown up in haste to take advantage of the boom. Fire breaks will never work when not installed. How was it possible the fire suppression system was not charged on a structure due to open soon.

This was built slowly and openly on a busy, 4 lane road in one of the wealthiest areas of Oklahoma. Thousands of critical eyes have been looking at that site for a couple years. There is no way it was cheaply built with no fire breaks (if fire breaks were required).

[BG918]

https://www.news9.com/story/620490da...W-GA-n4K49YQZg

News 9 is reporting that they were supposed to open March 1st, but only had 12 applications and no leases signed. Some folks in the comments are suspecting an inside arson job

No way March 1 was the opening date, the fire sprinkler system would be operational if that was the case.

[G.Walker]

https://journalrecord.com/2022/02/09...re-apartments/

“It’s such a sad thing. We need all the housing we can get from affordable to high-end,” he said.

A recent study by QuoteWizard showed Oklahoma City had the 10th-biggest decline in vacancies, dropping more than 51% from 2019 to 2021, while rent increased 5% during the same period.

[shawnw]

"A Total Loss"
https://news.yahoo.com/total-loss-65...134720878.html