Protecting Present Day and Historic Durham Properties from Fire Damage

1/12/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO provides excellent fire damage cleanup and restoration for Durham and many of its landmarks like Duke University

Many Large Structures and Properties in Durham Require a Fast Fire Recovery Response

North Carolina has a proud and detailed history going back for hundreds of years, and Durham has been a considerable part of that. While the municipality was not incorporated until 1869, the area's settlements and inhabitants go back much farther. Many historic properties exist within the city borders and in the metropolitan area. These old structures require the protection of city officials, the historical society, and even professional fire restoration companies like our SERVPRO team. Fast response to emergencies can keep these attractions open and available for tourists, residents, and students in Durham.

Duke University Campus in Durham

While it has not always been named Duke, the school was established more than 180 years ago in 1838. According to the records from the fall semester of 2019, the college was an educational home to nearly 16,000 students between its undergraduate and postgraduate programs. Those who spend years under the Blue Devil banner also contribute to Durham's growth and evolution, its shopping centers, and its restaurants. This is especially true with areas like the Shops at Erwin Mill and the University Shopping Center on 70.

There are multiple attractions of the University and its campus that can appeal to those who do not attend the institution. For example, the famous basketball venue, Cameron Indoor Stadium, hosts the ACC Duke Blue Devil team through many sold-out matchups. This building is a Basketball Museum and Athletics Halls of Fame for those looking to learn a little about the decorated history of Duke athletics and their time with the conference.

Historic Districts of Durham

In total, there are 19 protected historic districts and areas throughout Durham. Each of these has several structures that have been included in the National Register of Historic Places. Each of these individual districts and portions of streets within the city has its own story to tell. However, some of the most popular and visited of these revered areas of the municipality include:

• American Tobacco Historic District
• Burch Avenue Historic District
• Downtown Durham Historic District
• Morehead Hill Historic District
• West Durham Historic District

Durham Cultural Centers and Museums

When you consider how the city was born shortly after the American Civil War, it makes sense that North Carolina and the Durham area became a battleground between the Union and the Confederates. To chronicle the site's history and the continued development and evolution of art and entertainment, the city has multiple cultural centers and museums for visitors to see. Each of these structures has numerous exhibits detailing Durham's growth and the accomplishments of some of its talented sons and daughters.

• Museum of Life and Science – This entire facility is designed to inspire a love and fascination with science and biology that public schools do not have the time or resources to help instill in youth. There are many exhibits ranging from the farmyard and the hideaway woods to areas devoted to space travel, dinosaurs, and harnessing wind power.
• Museum of Durham History – This is one of the most comprehensive museums for learning about Durham's glorious and sometimes violent history. Exhibits are timely and thoughtful, such as the long-running 150 faces of Durham, which celebrated the 150th anniversary of the city, or the show celebrating the 19th amendment and the suffrage movement at the centennial year of its passing in 1920.

Attractive Retail Experiences for the City

As the fourth largest municipality in North Carolina, and part of the Research Triangle, it is not surprising that so many retail locations exist to attract travelers to the area. While there are multiple smaller establishments like the Durham Farmers Market that have been in action since the late 1990s, offering the best of the area's abundance of fresh fruits, vegetables, and crops, the primary revenue from retail comes from the larger shopping centers in and around the city. The Streets at Southpoint are an excellent example of this, as there are more than 150 stores and services in this area off of Fayetteville Road. After more than two years of construction, the site quickly became a premier shopping destination for Durham. The building features a 70 ft. glass wall separating indoor and outdoor portions, as well as multiple anchor stores.

What Must Happen First When Dealing with Fire Damage in Durham?

The first steps that get taken after a fire gets extinguished in your Durham home are the most important, as these dictate the continued damage to the property. If you can mitigate these damages, the overall costs and time restoration can be minimized. With our relationship with so many insurance providers in the area, our SERVPRO team is often notified of the need for cleaning fire damage in Durham homes before extinguishment is even completed. The faster that we can reach a property once it has been cleared for our technicians to enter prevents unnecessary ruining of your personal belongings and more considerable structural combustion and destruction.

Emergency services combine the expertise of our Fire & Smoke Restoration Technicians (FSRT) and our cleaning technicians accredited from the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC.) Air quality control and fire debris removal are among the primary first steps that must occur to make the residence safe for restoration to begin, even if it is not safe for the occupants of the house to return.

Content management is another critical aspect of early mitigation for fire-damaged Durham homes and properties. While much of the cleaning and recovery can happen through on-site cleaning or relocation to safe areas of the structure, some items and belongings can benefit from pack-out to our SERVPRO facility nearby for more concentrated cleaning, deodorization, and secure storage.

Fire disasters do not have to become total losses. Our SERVPRO of North Durham can help get you back home as quickly as possible when you call (919) 467-0880.