by Nick Dembsey, Board Member & Strategic Facilities Planning Committee Liaison

The Strategic Facilities Planning Committee is committed to ensuring the sustainability of Star Island’s infrastructure. In general SFPC provides support to Island Manager & Director of Facilities Jack Farrell and the staff on facilities projects in a few different ways ranging from acting as a sounding board to providing direct technical expertise on specific projects.

A great example of creating sustainable infrastructure is the on-going project to upgrade the Oceanic Hotel. Under Jack’s able leadership a comprehensive multi-year plan has been developed with the SFPC’s support. This plan addresses needed upgrades to the primary structure of the hotel (beam replacements), the exterior envelope to ensure water tightness (siding and window frames), the porch so that it meets current code requirements (load capacity and railing height), and the Atlantic stair egress (new tower and stairs). The SFPC has been engaged in this project acting as a sounding board as Jack developed and then over time refined the plan as new challenges have been encountered and overcome.

The SFPC has also been involved based on our technical expertise in detailed design of aspects of this project such as the porch railing and the soon to be new Atlantic tower and stairs. As the project now moves from the North and East faces of the Oceanic hotel to the West and South faces of the hotel the SFPC will continue to collaborate closely with Jack and other staff to ensure success of this project in protecting our unique historic building.

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