A small blaze in the clubhouse at the Green Valley, Ariz., club produced enough smoke and water damage to keep the facility closed until as late as June 1. The club will have cost estimates for the repairs by mid-January, but General Manager Mike Cochran predicted “it will be an expensive restoration.”
The clubhouse at Canoa Ranch Golf Club in Green Valley, Ariz., is a work in progress after a small fire on December 4 damaged the building, the Green Valley News reported.
The small fire sent smoke throughout the building, which houses the pro shop, offices, bar and Grill on the Green restaurant. What the fire didn’t get, the smoke annihilated. More than three weeks after the blaze, the smell is heavy throughout the building and almost unbearable in the pro shop, where nearly $30,000 in clothing could end up being trashed, the News reported.
Mike Cochran, who took over as General Manager three weeks before the fire, said Canoa Ranch has rebounded quickly, given the circumstances. Golfers lost just one day on the course, and less than 24 hours after the fire they had new offices set up at sister course Torres Blancas, which Cochran also oversees. Much of the holiday restaurant business they expected at Grill on the Green was transferred to the Abrego Grill at Torres Blancas, and members have taken things in stride, Cochran said.
Nearly the entire clubhouse is gutted—drywall, insulation, carpet and most of the tile floors ripped out, false ceilings pulled down and furniture hauled away. There are seven large storage containers in the parking lot, rolloff construction debris bins filling up as renovation continues, and several ATI vehicles out front, the News reported.
Cost estimates will be available by mid-January, but “it will be an expensive restoration,” Cochran said. Other than a small deductible, insurance is expected to cover everything other than minor improvements they want to make to the building, which opened in 2003. For now, the only planned changes are largely cosmetic—new tile, paint and carpet colors, and maybe a new doorway in the kitchen for efficiency, the News reported.
The fire broke out about 3:45 a.m. in a small room off the kitchen where servers received food from the chefs. The room housed soda and ice machines and a refrigerator, which Cochran said was the lone appliance plugged into an electrical outlet that apparently shorted, sparking a small fire, the News reported.
Smoke alarms and sprinklers “were huge factors” in keeping it contained, according to Green Valley Fire District officials, who had 15 firefighters and three engine companies on scene. The blaze was quickly extinguished, and Cochran said he and a fire official were walking through the building when they heard a commotion. The fire had reignited near the original spot, but this time was fueled by two pinhole leaks in the four-inch gas line to the building, the News reported.
The line was shut down and fire put out quickly, but not before a large amount of smoke was sucked into the HVAC unit and sent throughout the building via the ductwork. The pro shop, farthest from the kitchen, ended up with the heaviest smoke damage. The fire never reached past the servers’ area, scorching a small section of a decorative beam in the dining area, the News reported.
Given the intensity of smoke along with the water damage from the sprinklers, it could be June 1 before the clubhouse is back open, missing Green Valley’s high season, the News reported.
Most of the tile was ripped up because the subfloor may have been damaged by water. Every inch of drywall is coming down because smoke, soot and particles from burned plastic and other materials can permeate and lead to health problems if not replaced. All the furniture and appliances have been sent out for specialized cleaning. If it’s determined the smoke infiltrated seals and inner workings, the items could be tossed. Items like ice machines will be trashed because they likely were compromised inside and out by debris. Even computer equipment was sent out for specialized cleaning, the News reported.
“Anything that’s going to pose a health hazard to the community needs to be refurbished or replaced,” Cochran said.
Three-filter air scrubbers run constantly, sending the bad air outside as it slowly makes the building more bearable. Cochran says there’s already a big difference in the smell from just a few days earlier. Randy Denker, project director for American Technologies Inc. (ATI), said the county Health Department will be involved because food is served at the site, the News reported.
A $9,000 maintenance vehicle melted in the fire. All liquor, open or sealed, was tossed to avoid potential problems, Cochran said. They’re still tallying the total food and beverage losses. The pro shop had nearly $30,000 in items, mostly clothing, that are being looked at to see if they can be salvaged, the News reported.
As of last week, Cochran said they have laid off 26 of the 118 employees between the two golf course operations, mostly part-timers. He hopes to start rehiring for Canoa Ranch in early April. He said they’ve seen a slight decrease in golf business, which he attributes to a lack of a restaurant, the News reported.
They have a temporary trailer set up on site next to the cart barn to sign in golfers and schedule tee times, and plan to have a temporary hut for hamburgers, hot dogs and snacks open soon, the News reported.
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