Days after firefighters battled two separate blazes on the vacant property, the second of which caused extensive damage inside the clubhouse, graffiti has appeared on the exterior of the building, reading “Burn Down Fast” and “Burn Now.” A fence will be installed around the building to prevent trespassing.
The words “Burn Down Fast” have been spray-painted on the exterior of the decades-old clubhouse at Las Cruces (N.M.) Country Club that faces the neglected golf course. Next to that, there’s a similar message: “Burn Now,” the Las Cruces (N.M.) Sun-News reported.
On January 22, the messages nearly became a reality as firefighters battled two blazes on the property—one of which caused extensive damage inside the east side of the building. Officials on Monday said the cause of the two fires remains under investigation. However, the fire marshal for the Las Cruces Police Department has ruled out some potential causes, the Sun-News reported.
“Since the building was not being occupied, we have ruled out an electrical cause,” Fire Marshal Ted Sweetser said, who also ruled other possibilities, such as lightning, or other “acts of God.” He said it would likely take up to seven business days before an incident report is completed. But the investigation itself could take even longer, he said.
Bob Pofahl, a partner in Park Ridge Properties LLC, which has owned the country club building and the surrounding 110-acre parcel of land since October 2014, said Monday that he believed vagrants were responsible for the two fires, the Sun-News reported.
“At 7 p.m., there was a fire on the south side of the building, and then around midnight, there was a fire on the east side of the building,” Pofahl said. “That’s what makes us think it was vagrants trying to stay warm.”
Pofahl said vagrants have been an ongoing problem since Park Ridge purchased the property, the Sun-News reported.
“It’s a regular event for us and the police department to go over there and check on them,” he said. Although, according to the Las Cruces Police Department, there’s only been one reported incident of trespassing at the county club property since January 1, 2015. Still, in the coming weeks, Pofahl said a fence will be installed around the building to prevent further trespassing, the Sun-News reported.
Fire officials have not determined a dollar figure for the damages. Pofahl said the damage was minimal, and he estimated the total to be less than $5,000, the Sun-News reported.
“Most of that end of the building—you know it’s old—is going to be demolished anyway,” Pofahl said. “The historic part of the building, we plan to save.”
In February 2014, officials discovered that the building, which dates to 1929, was designed by the renowned architectural firm Trost & Trost—known for its buildings and landmarks throughout New Mexico, Texas, Colorado, Arizona, Kansas and Mexico. Pofahl said about one-third of building has historical significance. This portion was not damaged by the fires, he said. He described the damaged area as “additions” to the original Trost & Trost design, the Sun-News reported.
Pofahl said the fire will not have an impact on the building’s historical designation, the Sun-News reported.
Park Ridge Properties has not decided when the fire-damaged portion of the building will be demolished, Pofahl said. The preserved part of the building will eventually become part of a retail center being planned by the company, he said.
Tell Us What You Think!
You must be logged in to post a comment.