PORT ANGELES — Renovation on the downtown Elks Naval Lodge isn’t quite complete following last December’s fire, but the popular venue is hosting events again.
“We don’t really officially have it open, but we’re sneaking in the back door that way,” Elks board of trustees chairman Lon Riggs said Saturday.
The interior repairs are complete, and Riggs said the five-story lodge could tentatively open by mid-October.
A fire, likely caused by faulty electrical equipment, whipped through the historic 1920s-era building last Dec. 9, destroying the street-level Camera Corner store where the blaze originated and causing extensive damage to the Elks game room, ballroom, kitchen, basement workout facility and other areas of the lodge.
Several holiday events that had been scheduled for the lodge were canceled or relocated.
But 10 months later, Riggs said new carpets have been laid, the walls are painted and all reconstruction work is finished.
Furniture has been moved back into the third-floor ballroom, which has already hosted a few events, including two on Saturday.
Riggs said the remaining furniture will probably be moved into the lodge at the end of this week.