TOMS RIVER – The downtown municipal building is undergoing a facelift that will update and repair some of the aging structure.
The front of the building, facing Washington Street, used to be a private home almost a century ago. The rest of town hall is made up of additions.
All of the decorative fascia boards, railings, and stairs will be replaced, township officials said. Much of the original wood is rotting and will be replaced by a composite material that needs zero maintenance. The original appearance will continue to look historic, while the content will stand the passage of time.
The masonry lentils over the windows will also be replaced as they are cracking and in a state of failure, officials said. Two of the masonry stairs that are no longer used will be removed. One set of stairs will be replaced. The original porch of the house is generally not used other than for parades and events and essentially functions as a stage.
All of the soffits and gutters will also be replaced. The newer portion of the building, which dates back to the 1970s, had exposed cedar fascia that is now being eaten by carpenter bees. These will be replaced and clad with aluminum. There will be some decorative portions that will be accented with copper fish scale shingles to match the existing roofs. Additionally, the rear doors from the parking deck will also be replaced and upgraded to meet the current standards of the Americans With Disabilities Act.
Mayor Maurice Hill noted that he would like the front part of the building finished before the Veterans Day parade but the entire project is expected to be done by the end of the year.
