Engineer Shows Washington St. Mall Plan

CAPE MAY — Washington Street Mall Committee Chairwoman Hillary Pritchard called the design for a refurbished mall “a true compromise,” noting not everyone would like it.
At an Oct. 2 city council meeting, she said the public would look at the plans and “say this is historic, safe, attractive and make us all proud.”
Engineer Ray Roberts, of Remington Vernick, presented final plans for the mall, the culmination of two years work of the mall subcommittee of the city’s Revitalization Committee.
Roberts said the Mid Atlantic Center for the Arts (MAC) ticket booth would be moved in front of the Winterwood store to allow a clear view down the mall.
Utility pipes will be replaced underground from Ocean Street to Perry Street along with Sawyer’s Walk, Hill Walk and Draper Way. Pipes will be replaced under Jackson and Decatur streets from Carpenter Lane to Lyle Lane. New 12-inch water lines will be installed with new fire hydrants and new storm drainage.
Brick pavers will be installed in a line running 10 feet from the front wall of mall shops. Roberts called the design a “blended network.”
The “thoroughfare” portion of the mall will be 30 feet wide, done in a red brick herringbone pattern. A blue stone edging will separate the two different types of brick patterns.
Roberts said seating for outdoor cafés must stay behind the blue line separating the two brick types.
He said many benches on the mall would be reused. The mall will receive new streetlights that will feature electrical outlets at the top and bottom of poles that can be used to power decorations.
The mall will receive new trash and recycling containers, said Roberts.
Three electrical transformers on the mall’s surface, owned by Atlantic City Electric, will be screened with 8-foot tall, slat-on-slat fences to hide them from public view.
The Town Crier information kiosk will be moved 20 feet closer to Perry Street.
Two fountains will be installed on the mall including one in front of Our Lady Star of the Sea Church. The second fountain will be located at Hill Walk.
New planter boxes containing trees about 20 feet tall and 3 to 3.5 feet in diameter will be placed on the mall. Seating will flank the sides of the planter and lights will shine up into the trees for nighttime illumination.
The planter boxes will have an outlet that could be used for art shows or other events on the mall, said Roberts.
Red Maple trees will be planted between Perry and Jackson streets, hydrangeas on Sawyer Way, Chinese Elm at Jackson Street and the block between Jackson and Decatur streets, flowering cherry on Hill Way, Princeton Sentry Ginkgo at Decatur street, Honey Locust between Decatur and Ocean streets and pink Rose of Sharon along Draper way, said Roberts.
He said the mall will have a clear walkway down the middle and pedestrians will not have to “zig zag” through the mall as it is in its current configuration.