2012.002

Staff / Collected by

Collected by Staff

Museum Collections.

2012 - 2012

Date(s) Created: 2012 Date(s): 2012

Notes: Text archives 2012.002.0002 ==== CME Associates CONSULTING AND MUNICIPAL ENGINEERS 3141 BORDENTOWN AVENUE PARLIN, NEW JERSEY 08859-1162 (732)727-8000 March 8, 2012 Mr. Mario I. Patruno Acting Construction Official The City of Hoboken 94 Washington Street Hoboken, New Jersey 07030 Re: UPDATE #2 to Stage 1 Demolition Report Emergency Structural Evaluation of the Fire-Damaged Building at 300 Washington Street City of Hoboken, Hudson County, New Jersey CME Project No: PYR05324.01 Dear Mr. Patruno: In our original Stage 1 Demolition Report for the fire-damaged building located at 300 Washington Street, which was dated 02/22/2012, we recommended that the roof, the 5th floor and Apartment No. 6 on the 4th floor rear should be demolished. On 03/01/2012, we submitted an Update to that report in which we recommended that Apartment No. 5 on the 4th floor front should be demolished. In that first Update, we also noted that an area equal to approximately 500 square feet on each floor in the central third of the building had been heavily damaged by the fire and that, at a minimum, the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floor decks would need to be gutted and removed in these central third areas in order to permit bracing of the exterior walls. Over the course of the past week, we have been able to perform some additional follow-up structural framing evaluations as the contractor has performed the demolition and clean-up work on the upper levels of the building. Our review of the structure condition as the demolition proceeded indicated that a substantial portion encompassing at least the central third of the building at each of the 2nd through 4th floor decks had been irreparably damaged by the fire. Taking this information into account, in addition to the feedback from their independent Architect and Engineering Consultants and the Insurance Adjusters for Travelers Insurance, The 300 Washington Street Condominium Association has decided to demolish the remainder of the building. Currently, the roof, the 5th floor deck and the walls above the fourth floor deck have been removed. At this time, we anticipate that the remaining demolition will, at a minimum, includethe following items: 1. The first floor deck and the entire building superstructure above the first,|^6fEdeck will have to be demolished. Mr. Mario I. Patruno ASSOCIATES The City of Hoboken UPDATE #2 fo Stage 1 Demolition Report Emergency Structural Evaluation of the Fire-Damaged Building at 300 Washington Street March 8, 2012 Page 2 of 3 2. The demolition should also include the Laundry Room extension at the rear of the building so that the entire property site has been cleared. 3. We anticipate that the basement area within the building footprint only will need to be gutted to the top of the basement slab and all equipment will need to be removed. This includes, but is not limited to, the interior masonry partition walls and associated first floor deck framing within the building footprint only and the large walk-in refrigerators within the chamber extending underneath the sidewalk on Washington Street. 4. We anticipate that the basement perimeter foundation walls will need to be retained for the time being to retain any backfill along the adjoining structures. These walls will probably need to be removed to permit construction of a new building on the site in the future. If these basement perimeter walls require bracing of any kind, the temporary shoring should be designed by a Licensed Professional Engineer registered in the State of New Jersey. 5. Once the basement area has been cleaned out, it should be filled with recycled concrete conforming to NJDOT Specifications for dense graded aggregate to sidewalk grade level. 6. A decision will need to be made regarding the chambers on Washington Street and Third Street. It is not clear at this time whether or not it will be feasible to maintain the chambers and the structural sidewalk decks in these areas for future use. If necessary, the sidewalk framing may also have to be removed and the chambers beneath the sidewalk areas may also have to be filled with crushed stone aggregate. The construction of new concrete sidewalks on grade would be required to match the adjacent sidewalks on Washington Street and Third Street. This determination will be made once the first floor deck has been removed and the basement work within the building footprint has commenced. 7. The adjacent structures will need to be protected. The condition of the existing walls of the adjoining building located to the north at 302 Washington Street and the adjacent school located to the west on Third Street and Bloomfield Street will need to be reviewed and evaluated as the demolition of 300 Washington Street progresses to verify that they are competent to be self supporting once 300 Washington Street is completely removed. Any apparent instability or distress should be immediately evaluated if and when it is encountered. Any bracing, shoring or reinforcement that is determined to be required must be completed prior to proceeding with demolition. Also, any other remedial work that is required to ensure the integrity and water-tightness of these newly exposed exterior walls must be undertaken by the contractor. This recommendation has been verbally relayed to the contractor. Mr. Mario I. Patruno The City of Hoboken UPDATE #2 to Stage 1 Demolition Report Emergency Structural Evaluation of the Fire-Damaged Building at 300 Washington Street March 8, 2012 Page 3 of 3 8. Field observations of the building framing indicate that the western portion of the north wall, the front wall and the eastern portion of the wall along third street are supported on steel beams at the level of the second floor deck. The contractor shall be advised that the stability of the walls will need to be reviewed prior to removal of the 3rd floor deck. If authorized by the Association, CME will make additional structural evaluations and determinations, as necessary and where required, as the contractor progresses the demolition work of the remainder of the building. Once the demolition has been completed, we will prepare and submit to your office a Demolition Summary Report. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact this office at 732-727-8000. Thank you! Very truly yours, Samuel N. Kleinberg, PE Project Structural Engineer NJ License No. 24756 ==== Status: OK Status By: dw Status Date: 2012-04-04