University of Pennsylvania ScholarlyCommons Theses (Historic Preservation) Graduate Program in Historic Preservation 1991 Congress Hall Hotel: An Historic Structure Report Michael Calafati University of Pennsylvania Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.upenn.edu/hp_theses Part of the Historic Preservation and Conservation Commons Calafati, Michael, "Congress Hall Hotel: An Historic Structure Report" (1991). Theses (Historic Preservation). 313. https://repository.upenn.edu/hp_theses/313 Copyright note: Penn School of Design permits distribution and display of this student work by University of Pennsylvania Libraries. Suggested Citation: Calafati, Michael (1991). Congress Hall Hotel: An Historic Structure Report. (Masters Thesis). University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. This paper is posted at ScholarlyCommons. https://repository.upenn.edu/hp_theses/313 For more information, please contact [email protected]. Congress Hall Hotel: An Historic Structure Report Disciplines Historic Preservation and Conservation Comments Copyright note: Penn School of Design permits distribution and display of this student work by University of Pennsylvania Libraries. Suggested Citation: Calafati, Michael (1991). Congress Hall Hotel: An Historic Structure Report. (Masters Thesis). University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. This thesis or dissertation is available at ScholarlyCommons: https://repository.upenn.edu/hp_theses/313 st^^» V >;>«.>>•/' ^^Bi^i', i m. UNIVERSlTYy^^ PENNSYLVANIA. UBKARIES CONGRESS HALL HOTEL: AN HISTORIC STRUCTURE REPORT Michael Calafati A THESIS m The Graduate Program in Historic Preservation Presented to the faculties of the University of Pennsylvania in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE 1991 Samuel Y. Harris, Adjunct Associate Professor, Advisor David Hollenberb, Lecturer, Reader David G. d6—fl^ng, Prorisl hitecture Graduate Group Chairman '^1 FINE ARTS WA OP^ \r- UNIVERSITY OF PENNSVLVANU LIBRARIES Title Page 1 Table of Contents ii List of Figures V List of Tables vii Foreword viii 1.0 Introduction 1 1.1 Statement of Significance 2 1.2 Threats Facing Congress Hall 3 1.3 Need to Preserve Congress Hall 5 PART I 2.0 2. 3.3 Structure 69 3.3.1 Masonry Bearing Walls 69 3.3.2 Queen Post Trusses 70 3.3.3 Interior Framing 72 3.3.4 Perimeter Veranda 73 3.4 Exterior Features and Finishes 75 3.5 Interior Features and Finishes 78 3.6 Enabling Systems 80 3.6.1 Plumbing Systems 80 3.6.2 Electrical Systems 82 3.6.3 Elevator 84 Figures 24 through 66 86 PART III INTERVENTION 4 . Initial Recommendations 112 4.1 Immediate Action and Emergency Repairs 112 4.2 Maintenance 115 4.3 Structural Reinforcement 116 5.0 Feasibility Study 117 5.1 Uses and Occupancies 117 5.2 Zoning Regulations 123 5.3 Building Code Compliance/Adaptation 127 5.3.1 BOCA National Building Code Requirements 127 5.3 .2 Fire Code 130 5.3.3 Barrier-Free Accessibility 133 6 . Conclusion 135 111 7.0 Bibliography 13 6 7.1 Books and Published Materials 13 6 7.2 Journals and Newspapers 138 7.3 Public Documents 139 7.4 Maps 139 7.5 Unpublished Works and Collections 139 7.6 Figure Credits 140 8 . Appendices 142 8.1 Historic American Buildings Survey 142 Documentation 8.1.1 Area Map 143 8.1.2 Area Site Plan 144 8.1.3 Southeast Elevation with Column Capital Detail 145 8.1.4 Detail of Southeast Elevation 146 8.1.5 Overall View of Southeast 147 8.1.6 Detail View of Southeast Elevation 148 8.1.7 Detail View of First Floor Windows with 149 Jib Doors 8.1.8 View along Veranda looking Northwest 150 8.1.9 Architectural Data Form 151 8.2 Drawings of Existing Conditions 152 8.2.1 Diagram Plans of Guestroom Configurations, 153 c. 1920s to 1950s 8.2.2 Diagram Plans of Guestroom Configurations 154 8.2.3 Roof Plan 155 8.2.4 Fourth Floor Plan 156 8.2.5 Third Floor Plan 157 8.2.6 Second Floor Plan 158 8.2.7 First Floor Plan 159 8.3 Chain of Title 160 IV List of Figures Figures in Text Fig. 1 Congress Hall and the Windsor Hotel prior to 1979, Fig. 2 Mount Vernon Hotel. Fig. 3 Congress Hall in the 1850s. Fig. 4 Congress Hall prior to the fire of November, 1878, Fig. 5 Map of Cape May dated 1877. Fig. 6 Detail Map of the fire district. Fig. 7 Stockton Hotel. Fig. 8 Windsor Hotel. Fig. 9 The Atlantic Hotel. Fig. 10 Hotel Lafayette. Fig. 11 The New Congress Hall, 1879. Fig. 12 A 1928 photograph of the staff. Fig. 13 A view of the ocean front lawn. Fig. 14 Congress Hall dining room in the 1920s. Fig. 15 Congress Hall lounge in the 1920s. Fig. 16 Map of the Congress Hall neighborhood, c. 1902. Fig. 17 Map of the Congress Hall neighborhood, c. 1917. Fig. 18 Overall view of Congress Hall looking north. Fig. 19 Congress Hall looking northeast. Fig. 20 Congress Hall looking northeast along Congress Pi, Fig. 21 Congress Hall looking southwest along Congress Pi, Fig. 22 Overall view of the annex facing Perry Street. Fig. 23 Detail view of the "Foreign Mart." Fig. 24 View of upper mansard roof over Congress Pi. wing. Fig. 25 View of upper mansard roof over Perry St. wing. Fig. 26 Transition between asphalt and slate shingles. Fig. 27 Double dormer facing Congress Place. Fig. 28 Pitch applied over slate shingles. Fig. 29 Metal roofing failure at the Congress Pi. veranda. Fig. 30 Roll roofing to metal transition at veranda. Fig. 31 Major failure at roll roofing at Perry St. wing. Fig. 32 Dams along veranda roof. Fig. 33 Congress Hall's northeast elevation. Fig. 34 Roof drainage key plan. Fig. 35 Transcribed Agreement to Paint Congress Hall. Fig. 36 Peeling paint due to rising damp. Fig. 37 Detail of flaking paint and delaminating brick. Fig. 3 8 Keast and Hood Drawing. Fig. 40 Complete and Incomplete Frames. Fig. 41 Detail view looking down on bearing end of truss. Fig. 42 Truss shoring at dining room. Fig. 43 A typical truss open to view. Fig. 44 Detail of failure at bearing end. Fig. 45 New steel plates bolted to reinforce the truss. Fig. 46 Detail view of above. Fig. 47 View of truss bottoms as viewed from dining room. Fig. 48 Detail view of typical 3 by 8 inch floor joists. V . Fig. 49 Column base detail. Fig. 50 Concrete breakage at column base. Fig. 51 Cornice detail at end of Congress Pi. wing. Fig. 52 Overall view of Congress Place wing looking south. Fig. 53 Deteriorated second floor balcony. Fig. 54 Typical railing detail at second floor balconies. Fig. 55 Corroded fire escape serving Congress Pi. wing. Fig. 56 Installation of Perry St. wing fire escapes. Fig. 57 Mildew bloom in the bathroom of room 306. Fig. 58 Mildew bloom in guestroom 316. Fig. 59 Sheet metal and sealed transom at guestroom door. Fig. 60 The entrance door to guestroom 307. Fig. 61 A typical 1920s bathroom installation. Fig. 62 A typical 1950s bathroom installation. Fig. 63 Knob and tube wiring running in void above truss. Fig. 64 Electrical conduits as crossing over mansard roof, Fig. 65 Plastic electric conduits laying on veranda roof. Fig. 66 Broken plastic electric conduits and junction box. Figures in Appendices 8.1.1 Area Map 8.1.2 Area Site Plan. 8.1.3 Southeast Elevation with Column Capital Detail. 8.1.4 Detail of Southeast Elevation. 8.1.5 Overall View of Southeast. 8.1.6 Detail View of Southeast Elevation. 8.1.7 Detail View of First Floor Windows with Jib Doors 8.1.8 View along Veranda looking Northwest. 8.2.1 Diagram Plans of Guestroom Configurations, c. 1920s to 1950s. 8.2.2 Diagram Plans of Guestroom Configurations. 8.2.3 Roof Plan. 8.2.4 Fourth Floor Plan. 8.2.5 Third Floor Plan. 8.2.6 Second Floor Plan. 8.2.7 First Floor Plan. VI List of Tables 2.2A Room Summary 3 . lA Existing Roof Type by Zone 3. IB Roof Area per Drain 3.2A Exterior Masonry Wall Summary 3.2B Exterior Door and Window Schedule 5 . lA Floor Assignments for a Typical Hotel of 100 Guestrooms 5. IB Space Allotments for a Typical Hotel of 100 Guestrooms 5 . 2A Zoning Data 5.2B Zoning Use Limitations 5.2C Zoning Area and Bulk Limitations 5.3A BOCA Limitations Summary 5.3B Minimum Uniformly Distributed Live Loads 5.3C Uniform Fire Code Requirements 5. 3D Barrier-Free Requirements Vll Foreword Whomever intervenes to repair damage, arrest deterioration and restore the original appearance of a building must posses adequate knowledge about what is to be done and the subject receiving such intervention. This report seeks to establish a path for Congress Hall's preservation by presenting a balanced approach to its history, its existing physical condition, and its non-physical constraints. This type of report is commonly referred to as an historic structure report. The present dilemma is, however, that a standardization format for historic structure reports does not exist. This also provides me an opportunity. I believe that this balanced approached to understanding Congress Hall has resulted in a model for a pre-intervention document. The culmination of such a report, before the program is set and action is taken, has been realized and the temptation to arrive at possible end scenarios has been avoided. United States Department of the Interior. National Park Service. Cultural Resources Management. Cultural Resources Management Bulletin . Washington, DC: A National Park Service technical bulletin. Vol. 13, no. 4, 4th quarter 1990. viii 1.0 Introduction Congress Hall is a hotel located in Cape May, New Jersey.