Arca Apartments reopen near 215 and Durango nearly 3 years after $100M construction fire

LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Nearly three years after a massive fire destroyed several buildings at an apartment complex under construction, residents are moving into the rebuilt property.

The Arca Apartments, formerly known as the Kaktus Life Apartment Complex, opened to residents at the end of April. The complex is located near the 215 and Durango.

In June 2023, a fire burned for five days at the construction site, causing an estimated $100 million in damage. The fire shut down lanes of the nearby 215 at Durango and threw embers that started spot fires in nearby neighborhoods. One construction worker was hurt. The cause of the fire was never determined.

Rebuilt complex now welcoming residents

The rebuilt complex includes four residential buildings, a clubhouse and 356 total units, according to Kevin Marquis, regional property manager for Arca.

“We’ve been slammed. We’re super busy. We have anywhere from 30 to 50 new people coming in per week,” Marquis said.

Firefighters saved the original clubhouse from the flames during the 2023 fire.

MORE ON FOX5: Apartments rising from the ashes two years after one of largest fires in Las Vegas Valley

Fire protection measures added during construction

Silvio Lanzas, chief operating officer of M-Fire Suppression and a firefighter with more than 30 years of experience, was at a firefighters conference on the Strip the day of the fire.

“It was a windy day, so you had embers flying for quite a distance, starting new fires,” Lanzas said.

He said large construction fires are extremely dangerous.

“They’re essentially matchsticks stacked on top of each other with no fire protection systems at all,” Lanzas said.

During reconstruction, crews sprayed raw lumber with an anti-fire spray after the wood framing was added. Lanzas said all the wood has been treated and will not burn again.

High demand for housing

Marquis said people have been waiting for years to move in.

“A lot of us here in Vegas know that the Southwest here on the curve is a super popular area,” Marquis said.

The complex is open for tours and move-ins seven days a week.

Wednesday, Clark County did not answer questions from FOX5 about whether anything was learned from the fire or whether building regulations for apartments have changed. The county did reiterate the cause of the fire was undetermined.