The newly formed Cranberry Commons Task Force vowed to help get the site of the March 26 Cranberry Highway warehouse fire rebuilt as soon as possible during a tour of the property Tuesday, March 21.

Property owner Peter Ferri said he was very appreciative of the assistance. "What else could I ask for?," he said. It was the task force's first tour of the site.

"We want[ed] to get all the people who can move the project forward," Town Administrator Mark Andrews said of the formation of the 8-person committee, which includes representatives from inspectional services, municipal maintenance, the Community Economic Development Authority (CEDA), the Board of Health, the Conservation Department, and the Board of Selectmen. Andrews was not able to attend the tour due to obligations in Boston.

Andrews said the first step is to get a demolition permit approved for the property and clean it up.  Following steps will include securing the site, marketing the location and, finally, attracting a business that will bring in tax revenue to the town.

Ferri said he had hoped the demolition process would start this week, but it was delayed because asbestos is present in various areas of the burned building. The asbestos must be completely removed before a demolition permit can be granted.

Ferri said he plans to remove all of the debris from the site, leaving just the 13,000-square-foot foundation. He said he hopes the clean site will draw proposals from businesses.

"To me, [the location] is the most valuable part of the property because of the traffic light" on the corner, Ferri said, which is attractive to retail pharmacies and other businesses.

Ferri said he is trying not to focus on everything lost in the fire.

The building that was burned measured approximately 120 feet x 140 feet, had three stories, and was originally used for cold storage at the Ocean Spray factory.  Because it was built before insulation, the walls were very thick, contained cork, and were designed to allow circulation of cool air.  All of these characteristics made the fire burn hot and furious, completely destroying the building.

The building housed Fireslate 2, a business which makes specialty countertops, flooring and other architectural features out of a special mixture of cement and sand, on its ground floor.  Other floors were vacant.

According to investigators at the State Fire Marshal's office, a member of Ferri's family had been using a torch to cut salvage metals from the building which may have ignited the cork.

Onset Fire Captain Howard Andersen Jr. confirmed that an individual was using a blowtorch, but he said that the cause of the fire was still under investigation.

"I'm looking forward," Ferri said, and he is open to all suggestions of what to do with the property.

Task force members told Ferri that he has the community's support in his efforts to rebuild.

"We're here to help," said CEDA Director Chris Reilly.