Building fire clouds downtown Spokane

A historic downtown building was heavily damaged in a dangerous fire that clogged streets and sent acrid smoke throughout the business core of the city.

Commonly known as the Joel building, the brick former warehouse caught fire early Thursday and every available firefighter in the city was called to the three-alarm blaze. There were 17 trucks and 58 firefighters on the scene, pouring fire from three ladder trucks.

One firefighter was slightly injured.

Streets around the fire were closed and people were urged to stay away.

"The smoke is toxic, and citizens should avoid breathing in the smoke, especially if they have respiratory problems," the city said in a news release.

The building contained the upscale Churchill's restaurant, a photo studio and condominiums. For some four decades, it was the home of Joel, a popular home furnishings store.

Bill Main Jr., one of the building's owners, said preliminary work on 16 upstairs condos was complete, and that buyers were expected to take delivery of the first three units next week.

Main and developers Ron and Julie Wells bought the building in January 2005 for $1.8 million. Main said they have invested another $2 million in the structure since.

He did not know the extent of the structural damage, and whether they would be able to rebuild.

"Our intent is to go forward if the building is structurally sound," Main said. "Hopefully, we can salvage it."

Joel Ferris Jr., whose family owned the building for 39 years, said there had been smaller fires in the building throughout its history.

He said huge timbers, as thick as 8 inches by 12 inches, had withstood those fires.

"That's probably why the whole thing hasn't collapsed," he said. "It's a tough building."

Ferris said the 44,000-square-foot building was constructed in 1908. When his father bought it in 1966, he said, it was more or less abandoned.

"It was one of the early urban renewal projects," he said, one that won some architectural awards.