Status: On-going Concern
County: Cape May
Additional Features:
UPDATES:
1/01 Cape May will offer $600,000 loan to Congress Hall toward $20 m. renovation for hotel and convention center; underway in 2/01; retail, restaurants and night club to open 7/01; room by 11/01; exterior to 1879 appearance; interior to 1930s; removing 1952 façade; still question of parking on front lawn.
No noted changes in status (though tons of controversy). Research continues.
DESCRIPTION:
Cape May is home to over 600 relatively intact wooden framed and sheathed structures dating from the 19th century. The prevailing building type is residential (single family houses and hotel structures) with good representation of commercial and resort-related structures. As a testament to its 19th century popularity, Cape May has significant examples of work by talented architects of the period including Stephen Dacatur Button, Frank Furness and Samuel Sloan. Cape May’s survival through most of the 20th century buildings intact was nearly astonishing.
Congress Hall; Curt Bashaw; purchased 1995 and planned $20 million restaurant; garage proposal denied; demolisthed Christian Admiral in 1996; converted Virginia Ho9tel 1980s
Cape May had fire in 1878; rebuilt as Victorian community; 600 buildings remain
1980s successful revival
CONTACT:
Mid-Atlantic center for the arts
1048 Washington Street,
Cape May, NJ 08204
609-884-5404
http://www.capemaymac.org/
Michael Calafati, Historic Building Architects, LLC
312 W. State Street
Trenton, NJ 08618
609-921-3191
mc@hba-llc.com
Pip Campbell
15 North St.
Cape May, NJ 08204
pipcamp@aol.com