Plans to demolish the attic and second floor of Green Street building complex destroyed by a fire Wednesday will proceed Friday morning.

The complex housed local business Zorba’s Restaurant, Mia Za’s cafe and the Pitaya clothing store. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined, but was localized to the apartments above Zorba’s before spreading throughout the complex.

As early as Thursday evening, demolition equipment will be positions on the street, according to a press release from the Champaign Fire Department.

“It’s in the best interest of our community, the University, and Campustown businesses to move forward,” said Craig Rost, Champaign assistant city manager, in the release. “We fully expect Green St. between Wright and Sixth to be open for business on Monday morning”

The fire was extinguished by the afternoon, but the 600 block of the street, between Sixth and Wright streets, is still closed indefinitely to vehicles while damage is assessed. The city has established alternate routes in the meantime.

Pedestrians, meanwhile, have access to parts of the street, although the area around Zorba’s Restaurant and other affected businesses has been fenced off.

So far no business owners or engineers have been allowed in the complex. Once the public safety concerns have been fully addressed, fire investigators may be able to enter the building in an attempt to determine the cause of the fire.

The remaining one-block section of Green Street between Wright St. and Sixth St. currently closed will be opened once the partial demolition is completed and the street and sidewalks can be swept clean. Green St. will remain closed between Wright St. and Sixth St. through the evening and during the morning commute. Power that had previously been disabled has returned for most of the businesses on the street, and many west of the incident remain open.

According to a release from the City of Champaign, no injuries have been reported after METCAD sent fire crews to the area at approximately 7:57 a.m. Officials have closed nearby streets and are advising motorists to steer clear of the area.

“When we got on the scene, there was smoke crossing Green Street. That doesn’t happen very often,” said Dena Schumacher, spokeswoman for the Champaign Fire Department. “And so we already knew we were in trouble and had a lot to work on.”

The fire triggered multiple alarms, and the roof of the building which houses Zorba’s Restaurant has partially collapsed, according to the press release. In addition to Zorba’s Restauraunt, the affected building houses University LAS offices, as well as Mia Za’s Cafe, a Pitaya clothing store and an apartment.

Matt Mortenson, owner of Zorba’s Restaurant, said he saw smoke coming out of the apartment above his restaurant at 7:45 a.m., after which he called 911.

Mortenson said his biggest concern now is water damage, saying he believed the fire was mainly on the upper floors.

“I’ve been there when our basement has flooded from heavy rains, back before they fixed the storm system out here… so I can only imagine what this was like,” Mortenson said. “We’ll just take it one step at a time and see what we can do from here.”

Zorbas had been in that location since 1973, and Mortenson had worked there since 1982 and became an owner in 1997.

“All four of my kids work with me as well, so it’s really a family business,” he said. “I don’t even know what to think from here.”

Cody Crouse, freshman in DGS and a Zorba’s regular, said one of his biggest concerns was the sports memorabilia the restaurant kept, much of it revolving around the Illini men’s basketball team’s run to the championship game in the 2005 NCAA tournament.

“All those newspaper clippings, they’re never going to get back,” Crouse said.

Miriam Booth, general manager for Bankier Apartments, said the affected buildings included 621 and 623 E. Green St.

“We’ve been told that we’ve sustained heavy smoke damage, but they’ll let us in this afternoon.”

Booth said the buildings house businesses such as Sushi Rock and Casablanca on the first floor, while the second floor contains four town homes with a total of 16 tenants.

“The fire department (Champaign) said the fire stopped at the fire wall at our building, but was otherwise expected to continue west down Green Street,” Booth said. She added that the town homes and fire wall are only a year and a half old.

Te Shurt had only slight damage, as the antenna for its internet was “blasted” from the roof by water used to fight the fire, said Jeff Fassett, owner of the store. He said their gas was also shut off for safety reasons Wednesday.

CocoMero sustained water damage, Fassett said.

Tom Bruno, Champaign City Council Member-At Large, was at the scene of the fire as it began. He said the fire required massive man power, including aid from the Champaign and Urbana fire departments.

“I think we’re going have massive property damage loss on the south side of Green Street,” Bruno said. “Several buildings were heavily damaged, one or two buildings entirely lost.”

According to the Champaign Police Department, they are advising motorists to avoid the 400 to 600 block of Green Street and the 600 to 700 block of South Sixth Street, due to the fire. No injuries have been reported, according to Bruno.

Bruno added that Campustown will not likely see a standstill, regardless of damage caused by the fire.

“In this environment, where land is valuable, and there are 40,000 students who want places to eat, shop, live, I won’t be surprised to see repairs started within weeks or certainly a couple of months,” he said.

Limited visibility was also reported near the area of Fourth Street and University Avenue.

“It’s one of those fires you get every few years,” Bruno said. “I’m still coughing from breathing in smoke and ash.”