Rise from the ashes: New businesses give life after Weil Arcade fire

Downtown Hillsboro continues to move forward three years after a fire burned one of its most famous buildings to the ground and devasted parts of the local economy. “I like being downtown, it’s still kind of old school, hometown kind of feel,” said Edward Gorman, a food truck vendor.

Three years ago, many in this tight-knit community couldn’t imagine anything new flourishing in the space where the Weil Arcade building was consumed by flames in the early morning hours on Jan. 2, 2022. The fire, which turned out to be an arson, destroyed the building, killed one person inside and caused damage to nearly 30 businesses in the surrounding area. The suspect, Rose Sunrise, was given a 30-year sentence for the crime.

Meanwhile, the city has rallied in the years since, including building a food park and tap room on the existing property. Through fundraisers, grants, and initiatives, Hillsboro, downtown partners and the Weil family have been able to help many of the impacted businesses survive that tragic event. At the same time, they have continued to redevelop the fifth-generation family-owned space in ways that will continue to benefit Main Street and the surrounding businesses.

“To see this project literally rise from the ashes, contribute to its vibrancy but also pay homage to those businesses impacted,” said Dan Dias, the City of Hillsboro economic and community development director.

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