During the early hours of July 24, 2021, a fire broke out in the Max House Apartments at 101 East Main Street in downtown Auburn, displacing 30 people and destroying the 94-year-old structure.
The building’s owner for the last 10 years, Max House, LLC of Seattle, has decided not to redevelop the 104-year old property — but sell it.
“I don’t know when they will list the property, but I suspect that there will be a fair amount of interest from folks to buy and redevelop it,” said Jeff Tate, the city’s director of community development,
Indeed, Max House LLC has already applied with the city for a demolition permit.
Tate said the city of Auburn does not want demolition to start before the annual Veterans Day Parade, and he anticipates work starting sometime in mid-November.
“We are working with them on all of the details related to street closures, protection of sidewalks and street lights, asbestos removal,” Tate said.
Kimberly Terhune, public information officer for the Valley Regional Fire Authority, reports that estimated damage to the building, which contained seven businesses and 15 apartments, at $1.7 million to the structure and an additional $300,000 to the contents of the building, which includes personal belongings and products from the downstairs businesses.
“As far as the cause,” Terhune continued, “the investigator determined that the fire began in a utility shaft. Multiple ignition sources existed within the shaft, and none could be eliminated. Thus, the cause is undetermined.”
Just across East Main, the owner of the former Heritage Apartments, a 2-story structure destroyed by fire on Dec. 26, 2017, is close to wrapping up a long planning process to begin construction on rebuilding the apartments.
“They are finalizing two details before they start,” Tate said. “They are modifying their foundation system, and they are about to obtain the easement they need to access the garage from the south side of the property. I can’t tell you a construction start date though. The owner of the property will make that determination. But they are 98% of the way through all of the approvals they need to get that project started.”
