Annapolis Yacht Club Weighs Demolishing Charred Structure

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Leaders of the charred Annapolis Yacht Club said they might demolish the structure following a $9 million fire in December rather than attempt to renovate the heavily damaged building.

An electrical problem with a Christmas tree equipped with built-in lights sparked the Dec. 12, 2015, blaze that heavily damaged the historic Annapolis Yacht Club at 2 Compromise St., officials said.

The Annapolis Fire Department said that damage from the fire is likely to surpass $9 million.

Debbie Gosselin, yacht club commodore, and other yacht club members met with city officials Friday to discuss plans for the downtown property.

While club leaders haven’t made a decision on whether to demolish or renovate, officials are leaning toward demolition, she told the Capital-Gazette, because that would allow it to meet Federal Emergency Management Agency flood plain recommendations that call for the building to be elevated 30 inches to avoid flooding.

If the club rebuilds on the fire-damaged site, current zoning would push the structure back 25 feet, using up part of its current parking lot, the newspaper reports.

>>>See Also:

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• Annapolis Yacht Club Fire Damage Estimated at $9M

The three-alarm fire broke out at the Annapolis Yacht Club, 2 Compromise St., Dec. 12, 2015, before being extinguished by nearly 100 firefighters.

Capt. John Bowes of the Annapolis Fire Marshal’s Office said the fire damaged the second and third floors of the building while the rest of the building was damaged by smoke. The building lacks a sprinkler system, leading Bowes to attribute that as the reason the fire did so much damage.

As a stopgap measure, the club took over the former Harbor Grill location, after representatives for the club, city and restaurant signed an agreement in January to locate the yacht club at the eatery for now.

The Capital-Gazette reports that Harbor Grill’s management laid off its staff of about 20 workers to make way for the yacht club’s use of the facility at 12 Dock St. The agreement says the yacht club can sell food and drink from the Harbor Grill venue until repairs allow the club to return its Compromise Street location, which could take up to two years.

Harbor Grill general manager Ray Tompkins told the newspaper the company tried to place the laid-off employees at other Blonder-owned restaurants, including Big Fish Grille in Crofton.

On Dec. 13, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan joined Annapolis Mayor Michael Pantelides, Anne Arundel County Executive Steve Schuh, and the leaders of Annapolis Yacht Club to survey the damage.

“Our state agencies are ready to assist the over 150 individuals who work at AYC and get this important part of the history, culture and economy of Annapolis back on its feet,” Hogan said.

The historic club that played host to several national and international racing events was created in 1886 as an informal canoe club, according to the AYC website. In 1904, the club had close to 30 members compared to its membership today, which stands at 1,600.

The club has been a destination spot for sailors and their families for generations. Its leaders are looking for a site to relocate to while the structure is rebuilt.

On its website, the Annapolis Yacht Club said the 2016 racing season will go on as planned. The club’s offices, race management equipment and regatta of support vessels are all located at its Eastport properties, which weren’t affected by the fire.

»Video from Anne Arundel County Professional Fire Fighters’; fire photos and aftermath images from Annapolis Professional Firefighters and Gov. Larry Hogan’s Facebook page