Balcony Collapse in AC-could it happen here?

[wildre]

This Motel was a 50's style Motel, just like so many of the ones , that are still standing here and many who have met the wrecking ball.
Very scary!!!!

From WPVI's website

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ-April 11, 2005 — Emergency teams had their hands full when part of a balcony on an Atlantic City motel came tumbling down.
The Ascot Hotel is one of dozens of 1950s, 1960s vintage hotels that line many shore communities. In some case, they are well passed their prime. In this case, the steel beams held the balcony were corroded to the point of collapse.

The early morning calm here was shattered, literally, when portion of the first floor balcony came crashing down. Two guests were rescued by firefighters, using a ladder. Bonzai Taylor was one of them.

Bonzai Taylor/motel guest: "You see there is no balcony there. You don't see nothing when you open the door. We were kind of scared because you think if that part fell, what about the rest of it? "
Firefighter asked the same question. Soon they evacuated the remaining guests from the 53 occupied rooms and shut down the Ascott.
Deputy Chief Vincent Granece/A.C. Fire Dept.: "This building was bit in the 50s, There is metal I-beam that support the balcony areas. Over the years, they have corroded and are now in an unsafe condition."
Atlantic City does not typically inspect the structural integrity of older buildings. Some wonder if that should change.
Stephen Frame/Atlantic City construction official: "These kinds of things bring to the front that there should be some program in place where that inspection activity is done."
Signs that read "Danger" have been affixed all around the Ascot. At this point, the hotel remains closed. City officials indicated that it will be up to the owner of the hotel to decide whether to repair considerable damage here or to basically demolish the building.

[MMM]

Freak things always happen (or as insurance companies sometimes put it - "Acts of God"). However, owners also shouldn't be letting their properties/businesses "go" either. People can look at stories like that and think the worst, like "see, those old buildings are unsafe", etc. The thing is, it doesn't have to be that way. It's too easy for people to blame something like this happening on a place just due to age - that's too simple to be true. Things age and do need repair, etc., but if they don't get proper care, what do people expect?

[FlyinGN]

being in salty areas im sure the hotels down the shore are checked for steel erosion on a frequent basis..

WW seems to be on top of this as compared to ac. thats for sure..

Frank

[wildre]

Let's hope they are inspected, but I wonder? Everything in that salt air needs to be checked and fixed. Things just don't last as long given the enviorment.

re

[ContessaAnisha]

I saw on the news that the owner/manager (?) told the employees not to part their cars under the balcony! And it was only a few blocks from the garage that collapsed couple of years ago. The inspectors really should have seen the rust and beams they put up to hold the thing.

I really hate to hear things like this cause 1) there is no need for buildings to get that far gone before the City does something. I mean you could see the rust! 2) It looks bad for many of the smaller places and as they lose money, they will tend to sell.

[choochoochuck]

first the crown Motel and now the Ascot?

[AnthonyV]

Many of these motels are really not being torn down because of safety concerns- though I'm sure that there are some that have long been dangerous.

According to a lot of the teams of workers I've spoken to recently here in the Crest - those who have demolished more than a few over this off season - they were amazed to see how structurally sound most of these motels actually were even after 40-50 years!

The BIG reason these motels are being torn down (according to the owners themselves) is that it's just way too hard to pass up on the multi-million dollar offers contractors and developers are offering for their property.