Should New Convention Hall Resemble One Built in 1917?

CAPE MAY — After a presentation of a 3-D design concept for a new Convention Hall by Architect Martin Kimmel at a July 29 town meeting, the public offered its comments, in particular, on the façade of the proposed building.
While the interior remained the same as a previous presentation with a glass wall at the rear of the stage and a seating capacity exceeding 1,500 seats, the façade was more modern.
A number of residents called for a façade resembling Cape May’s first Convention Hall.
James Wyatt, a member of the Convention Hall Committee, said the city had a “golden opportunity to put something back that was taken away from us” referring to a Convention Hall that was built in 1917 and destroyed by a Nor’easter in March 1962.
Eying the new concept drawing, he said the facade of building “did not belong on Beach Avenue.”
Kimmel said standards from the U.S. Secretary of the Interior for new buildings in historic places state new structures should not be a recreation of an old building.
Resident Al Beale said while he was once in favor of recreating the facade of the 1917 hall, he changed his mind when he saw the new rendering.
Former Mayor Robert Elwell said he believed the façade should be similar to the 1917 Convention Hall. He suggested the current hall be repaired and given a new façade.
Larry Muentz, an innkeeper and tourism Web site designer, suggested the new Convention Hall be constructed on the Cape May Elementary School property since it could provide parking. He predicted the school would be consolidated into the Lower Township School District within five years.
Muentz suggested a smaller hall with less retail space and more public space.
“It’s a gorgeous, gorgeous building but truth be told, the more I look at it, the less I think it’s Cape May,” he said.
Muentz also endorsed a recreation of the 1917 hall.
A resident suggested a new hall should be at the current location of Cape May Elementary School rather than on the beachfront, which was subject to storms.
“All of the City of Cape May would fall under the same very, very heavy weather criteria regardless of whether it’s directly on the oceanfront or whether it would be back to this block (Cape May Elementary School) or seven or eight miles inland for the hurricane design,” said Kimmel.
Dennis Crowley, a board member of the Taxpayers Association of Cape May, said there wasn’t time to acquire another location for Convention Hall. He said Lafayette Street had traffic back ups stretching to the Garden State Parkway.
Resident Barbara Mays asked how glass on the new hall would hold up to wind and blowing sand. Kimmel said the new building would use Dade County Certified Glass, which is the highest classification in the world in durability.
He said it was designed to take a piece of wood launched at 150 mph from a cannon and not allow that piece of wood to penetrate the glass or leave a hole.
Diane Hutchinson, read a statement from the board of directors of the Mid Atlantic Center for the Arts (MAC) endorsing the most recent design concept for a new Convention Hall, in particular the box office, stage and seating design. She said a larger hall would allow more vendors for craft and antique shows.
Hutchison said MAC has long wanted to expand its program to offer lectures, performers and PowerPoint programs on Cape May Architecture, social history, vacationing in the 19th century and lighthouses and their keepers. She said second floor meeting rooms in the proposed hall could house such programs.
MAC also supports building a new hall in the current beachfront location, said Hutchinson. She said temporary locations for events have not proven to be satisfactory to audiences.
“We fear that long delays will bring about the loss of many wonderful events and the grants that support them,” read Hutchinson from the statement.
Resident Suzanne Newman, who said she spent many years in theater, questioned the need for 1,500 seats. She said she felt a new Convention Hall could be smaller.
Newman praised the indoor and outdoor stages. She a new hall would need a larger staff than just the current, one city employee.
Newman asked if the $10.3 million cost included raked seating. Kimmel said it would cost an additional $200,000 to $400,000.
Resident Kevin Maloney said liked the design concept.
“I think it will be a jewel in our crown,” he said.
Charlotte Todd, chairman of the city’s Energy Committee, said she worried about obtaining grant funding for a new facility since Cape May has lost its City Center Designation. She suggested remodeling the current Convention Hall.
Resident Jean Powick, who led a successful petition drive that caused council to rescind a $10.5 million bond to build a new hall, said a bigger hall would have bigger operating expenses.
She asked council to consider building a new hall the same size as the current building.
Mayor Edward J. Mahaney Jr. said the public would make the decision what council builds since the financing is subject to a binding voter referendum in November. He said there would need to be a compromise based on what he was hearing at the town meeting.
Corbin Cogswell, a member of the city’s Historic Preservation Commission noted Cape May was on the Secretary of Interior’s watch list of cities that could lose their National Historic Landmark designation; due in part to a lack of parking that would only be worsened by building a large Convention Hall. He suggested keeping the new hall in the same footprint as the current building with a second floor banquet hall that could serve the wedding industry and generate revenue for the city.
A questionnaire was given to audience members. It asked if a new Convention Hall should be built at its current location or elsewhere, keep its current proscenium or stage or a stage with an ocean view, provide kitchen facilities, a restaurant, roller skating facility, retail spaces and a wedding chapel or gazebo. It also asked if the new facility should keep the same square footage as the current hall or include space occupied by the Solarium.
The questionnaire asked if the current hall should be repaired. It also asked if a new hall should have flat or raised, telescoping seating, an ocean view and whether the entrance should be located on the front or side of the building.
A third page was left blank participants to present comments on the presentation.