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The blaze ignited in the floor between the second and third floors of the old Teutonia Hall at 51 Buena Vista Ave., around 11:30 a.m., Yonkers Fire Commissioner Robert Sweeney said.
Crews responded after neighbors reported smoke coming from the three-story, 121-year-old building. Upon arrival, firefighters launched an aggressive attack and opened up the wood floor in an attempt to locate the blaze, Sweeney said.
“It's labor intensive because of the extremely vast floors and very heavy wood,” he said.
Shortly after 12:40 p.m., Sweeney said crews expected to have the fire put out shortly.
“We’re just glad it happened in the day time,” he said.
Fire investigation units from the city and Westchester County were on the scene early Friday afternoon. Sweeney said he did not believe the fire was intentionally set but investigators had yet to determine a cause.
The building was empty when firefighters arrived and there were no reported injuries.
Teutonia Hall, a former German-themed music hall that has been unoccupied for years, was set to undergo an $8 million renovation and cleanup this year. When completed, the hall is expected to become the site of a 25-story residential tower with 412 units and a 550-space parking garage.
The developers of the Teutonia project, Metro Partners, plan to demolish much of the aging music hall while preserving its historic facade. The facade will later become the front of the parking garage.
The plan also includes the redevelopment of the adjacent three-story Trolley Barn, plus three existing residential buildings.
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