A building in downtown Summerville was destroyed by fire early on Friday morning.  Summerville Police say that the fire was intentionally set.

The building at 19 East Washington Street most recently housed Ginger Hosmer’s flower shop.  For many years it was the tax office of Henderson Ponder.

The building was owned by contractor and developer William Benefield.  He had recently purchased the building from Jefferson’s owner Todd Kingsolver who had purchased the building from Attorney Jon Dennis.

Summerville Police Chief Harold Tucker says that nineteen year-old Jimmy Gowan was arrested after an investigation implicated him as the one who started the fire.  Gowan has been banned from several local businesses and was recently arrested for entering an automobile belonging to Summerville attorney Albert Palmour.

The building was a total loss.