Club owner hopes to rebuild after fire

MONTROSE — As investigators continue to uncover what sparked Wednesday’s fire at Montrose Athletic Club, owner Mead Serra ponders whether he can rebuild.

“It all depends on what (the building owners’) plans are. It’s their decision whether they want to take the insurance money or rebuild. We’re sitting in that position,” Serra said Thursday.

“If there’s any way possible, I’m going to be open again. I didn’t feel like it yesterday, but today’s another day.”

Serra does not own the building on Apollo Drive that, before an early-morning fire Wednesday, housed the MAC.

The fire’s origin and cause remain undetermined, but the blaze effectively gutted the two-floor brick building, which sustained heavy damage, including to roof trusses.

The Montrose Police Department is investigating the fire, with the Montrose Fire Protection District and Colorado Bureau of Investigation, which was wrapping up its probe Thursday.

Fire Chief Bob Pistor said previously the fire was “suspicious,” but said that doesn’t necessarily mean it was the result of arson.

Montrose Police Chief Tom Chinn said much the same Thursday. “It’s like investigating a death scene. You investigate it as a homicide until it’s proved otherwise. That’s kind of what we’re doing with this fire. It’s normal, standard stuff,” Chinn said.

Serra said he’s since spoken with detectives, who gave him information that can’t be divulged in interest of the ongoing investigation.

He will meet Monday with his insurance adjustor, concerning an estimated $250,000 loss in equipment. A contractor will be brought in Tuesday to see what would be required for rebuilding, which, again, is up to the structure’s owner.

Serra doesn’t know what insurance will cover and can’t say when he might be back in business, other than as quickly as possible.

“Hopefully, we’re off to the races and not off to a slow, pondering thing. I know there are a lot of people disappointed the club isn’t there any more.”

Serra said home-school students used his gym as their home court and he’s “sick to my stomach” about that aspect of the loss, along with the loss of Pee Wee basketball program space.

“I’m going to do everything I can to get us back going in the right direction,” he said.

He’s also trying to accommodate gym clients and said they shouldn’t feel bad about working out somewhere else — though he hopes they will return once the MAC is back.

Montrose’s other gyms have been supportive, Serra said, thanking them and his friends and family for “tremendous” support.

A Desert Storm vet, Serra said Thursday he was “pretty shaky” from a personal standpoint, but was going to be OK.

He found inspiration Wednesday night from a surprising source: a kids’ movie. “They said ‘yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery and today’s a gift. That’s why they call it the present.’ It’s true,” Serra said. “Nobody got killed. My family is OK. Everyone involved is OK and that’s the most important thing.”

The Montrose Athletic Club began in 1977 as a racquetball club. Another owner added the gym component and other improvements in 1981 and Serra bought the business five years ago.

“We’re trying to figure out why this happened, but you know what? It happened. All you can do is move forward. That’s what I want to do right now,” he said.