By MADDY VITALE
The grand staircase inside of City Hall in Ocean City is one of the architectural focal points of the historic building.
An architect hired by the city, HMR Architects, will analyze and determine whether the staircase might have to be enclosed to meet modern fire safety regulations or whether it could remain open and flowing.
The architect will conduct an analysis of the building, which dates to 1914, to see if the city will have to enclose the staircase in order to install fire barriers.
City Council passed a resolution to hire HMR for improvements to fire safety at City Hall at its Sept. 8 meeting.
Ocean City spokesman Doug Bergen noted in an email Monday that, “A state fire inspector determined that fire prevention measures are required at City Hall.”
He said, however, that “Nothing has been installed or designed. HMR Architects are still working on their survey and code analysis.”
In a city memo included in the Council agenda packet for the Sept. 8 meeting, the architect (HMR) believes there is a possibility that City Hall would be exempt from the requirement for an enclosed stairway because of City Hall’s status as a registered state and national historic landmark.
In 2018, a lift allows a worker to get right next to the building to do intricate restoration work.
Upon a completion of the fire code analysis, HMR Architects would contact the state fire inspector to discuss their findings, the memo states.
“If we determine that the enclosure is not required by code and the inspector agrees with the interpretation, the professional services may end here and not continue with Tasks 2 and 3,” HMR said in the memo.
Task 2 would involve construction documents and Task 3 would be for going out to bid for the project, according to the memo. There would also be additional services if the city elected to have them performed.
The cost for the professional services “could exceed $17,000,” and depending on the architects’ findings, could cost $34,000 or more if additional services are needed, according to the resolution.
For now, the city will wait for the inspector’s answer to HMRs finding.
In 2018, the building, which is considered a piece of architecture in the Beaux-Arts Classicism style, received $400,000 of touch-up work to restore its beauty. Specifically, there was some work on the brick, granite and terra cotta exterior.
Historic Preservation Commission architect Michael Calafati said in a 2018 interview with OCNJDaily.com while looking at the three-story building, “It’s not Victorian, but it has all the embellishments you would associate with Classical Revival architecture. This is pretty unique.”
City Hall is lit up with festive lights as crowds enjoy the annual Christmas parade.
