THE OPPORTUNITY

To accommodate the growing Bridgeton Fire and Emergency Services Departments, the Cumberland County Improvement Authority (The Authority) sought a firm to design renovations to the circa 1932 Bridgeton Old City Hall while simultaneously designing a substantial new addition. Located across the street from the existing historic firehouse, the renovated Old City Hall Building and added facilities will provide the Fire Department with much-needed space while preserving an important historic resource for the city.

THE CHALLENGE

Unoccupied and minimally maintained since 2009, the interior and exterior of the Old City Hall sustained significant and irreparable damage through exposure to water and the elements. Renovations to the existing building need to include extensive repair and replacement while maintaining the building’s historic character. The property is located within a historic district listed in the National and State Registers of Historic Places, necessitating the completion of a New Jersey Register of Historic Places Act Application.

THE PS&S SOLUTION

Working closely throughout the process, PS&S architects, engineers, and cultural resource specialists created a design that will accommodate the Fire and Emergency Services Departments’ needs while maintaining the exterior aesthetics of the historic city building. In addition, PS&S’s planners, archaeologists, and architectural historians are currently helping to guide the project through the New Jersey Historic Preservation Office’s (NJHPO) review process.