just saw it scroll by across the bottom of the screen... says they are ordering evacuations... anyone know whats going on?

Friedman Umbrealls (the "free rain with every umbrella" building near 3rd and Market burned down last night.

I heard... that's a damn shame.

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Yeah, it's the umbrella shop right across from Novelty.

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I wonder if they're going to put up another parking lot in its place. Speaking of which, what's the status of the burned out apartment building at 11th and Spruce? I've avoided walking around there since its so depressing. As far as I know, its still a burned out hulk right in the middle of an otherwise vibrant neighborhood. It seems like they've torn down the upper floors and are leaving the bottom two in hope that they might alter be used in a future development. Let's hope this doesn't become yet another parking lot.

there was a community meeting about whether to grant the owners teh variances tehy wanted since the budiling, if built bnow, would have been illegal due to setback rules, etc. so as of Oct. they were looking to rebuild. probably waiting for insurance money and the city bureucratic machine to do their thing.

there was a community meeting about whether to grant the owners teh variances tehy wanted since the budiling, if built bnow, would have been illegal due to setback rules, etc. so as of Oct. they were looking to rebuild. probably waiting for insurance money and the city bureucratic machine to do their thing.

Oh, man, this Friedman Umbrellas fire is so depressing. I just bought a cute duck umbrella from him about a month ago, and that thing's been cheering me up on rainy days ever since (yes, I am too old for a duck umbrella; never you mind). I hope things work out OK for the owner.

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Channel 6 interviewed him last night. He said they'd been in business there for 50 years. He seemed rather shell-shocked, said they closed at 5:30, like usual, and then he got the call at 10 p.m. saying hte building was burning.

It was a heck of a fire, too, let me tell you. I live about two blocks from there and just before 11 heard five siren trucks go by my place on Arch, and smelled smoke all night long. I actually walked outside, worried it was coming from my own building, the smoke was so pervasive.

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Great. I hope they rebuild. I'm surprised that they require setbacks in that neighborhood. Is an urban neighborhood with buildings all right against the sidewalks and that gives it character. Setbacks typically for more residential areas.