Demolition underway at historic Block Island hotel after August blaze
BLOCK ISLAND – Demolition is under way on the charred remains of the historic Harborside Inn after flames destroyed the 133-year-old building last month.
Manafort Brothers Inc., a construction and demolition company based in Plainville, Connecticut, began staging equipment at the scene late last week. Workers kicked off the demolition Monday, with the entire process expected to stretch through the end of the month, according to Town Manager Maryanne Crawford.
Crews began removing parts of the structure Monday, tearing away sections of the roof and back of the building on Weldon’s Way.
Built in 1879, the three-story Victorian is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has long been an important part of the streetscape that greets visitors and residents approaching by ferry.
“The first thing you see is the Harborside,” Crawford said.
The structure remained standing Tuesday, with the Harborside Inn sign removed.
Environmental testing to ready the site
In preparation of the demolition, Rhode Island Analytical conducted extensive testing, according to town officials.
Only the rear portion of the Harborside’s roof showed evidence of asbestos. No insulation, exterior siding, flooring, piping, or other portions of the structure were found to contain asbestos, they said.
RI Analytical staff plans to remain on scene for the initial phases of the demolition to monitor the work and perform air sampling. Affected materials will either be covered to protect workers and others or stored in lined Dumpsters and removed from the site within the first five to seven days of the project, according to the town.
As the demolition continues, MBI will be using water to wet the building and debris to minimize any dust or visible emissions. Any debris will be completely removed and disposed of.
Chapel Street from Weldon’s Way to Water Street will remain closed to traffic for the duration of the project.
Fire’s origin
Block Island Volunteer Fire and Rescue responded to a box alarm at the inn at 11:23 p.m. Friday, Aug. 18 and found a working fire in the first floor kitchen. A little more than 20 minutes later, Fire Chief Chris Hobe sounded a second alarm calling for mutual aid from first responders in Southern Rhode Island.
Firefighters from Block Island, along with dozens of crews from the mainland, worked together as a team of about 100 to battle and contain the blaze. A marine task force sent four boats to help supplement the island’s limited water supply, and the Block Island Ferry shifted from transporting tourists to the scenic spot to transporting fire apparatus and personnel.
“There are so many old buildings and they are so close together, if the wind was behaving a certain way it would have been a disaster for this community,” Crawford said.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: After Block Island fire, Harborside Inn being demolished
