Chief Deputy Fire Marshall Robert Fox ruled it was arson, but many had already has strong suspicions prior to the official ruling. The official ruling just galvanized the thoughts of many as the controversy of the Dollar General stores planned purchase was getting into a new and potential tricky stage for the company.
The owners of the Dollar General had initial thoughts of demolishing the structure which was built in 1899, many locals were upset and clearly opposed to the idea of demolishing the structure and building a new one in the place.
Claymont has been going through many changes over the past few decades and has has a slow but steady resurgence of revitalization through some of the efforts of Claymont Renaissance Development Corporation.
“Claymont has lost many important structures over the years and it will be a sad day if this building is beyond repair,” Brett Saddler of the Claymont Renaissance Development Corporation said in a statement to Delaware Online.
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Efforts are currently under way to search out options of any possible salvaging of the site for possible use as a historical site.
The fire caused damage ranging in the range of $550,000, a definite speed-bump in any revitalization effort.
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