Ocean House, Rhode Island
Encyclopedia
The Ocean House is a large Victorian hotel located in Watch Hill
, Rhode Island. Watch Hill
is a small fire district located in the town of Westerly within Washington County
. At the time of its closing the hotel was 152165 square feet (14,136.6 m²) large. It was the last remaining water front Victorian Era hotel on mainland Rhode Island.
called American Aristocracy was filmed at the Ocean House.
Station nightclub fire
, Rhode Island
's demanding fire codes were more rigorously enforced . The 138-year-old structure was grossly non-compliant with current building and life safety codes . The timber building's structure was compromised due to installation of electric and gas lines, plumbing, and reconfiguring the rooms to have private bathrooms. In the last years of the hotel's life the top two floors were off-limits to guests. Of the original 159 rooms only 59 could be used. The Ocean House closed its doors in 2003 and was sold.
The current owners considered renovating the old building . To do so would have required installation of interior structural shear walls to bring the Ocean House up to current code for hurricane and wind loads . New hurricane-rated windows set in new frames and a brand new foundation made of concrete with steel tie-downs throughout would have also been needed. All lead paint would have to be stripped off the exterior and interior . Interior mold would have to be removed which meant demolishing interior finishes . To offer today's hotel amenities two floors would need to be created below the current building, plus a concealed parking garage would be required . All these problems would be economically and physically impossible to fix, so the owners decided to replicate the Ocean House .
Watch Hill
Watch Hill is an affluent coastal village in the southwestern section of the town of Westerly, the southwestern-most town in Washington County and the entire U.S. state of Rhode Island. The village is listed as a census-designated place. Watch Hill Historic District is a historic district in the...
, Rhode Island. Watch Hill
Watch Hill
Watch Hill is an affluent coastal village in the southwestern section of the town of Westerly, the southwestern-most town in Washington County and the entire U.S. state of Rhode Island. The village is listed as a census-designated place. Watch Hill Historic District is a historic district in the...
is a small fire district located in the town of Westerly within Washington County
Washington County, Rhode Island
Washington County, commonly known colloquially as South County, is a county located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Washington County borders Kent County to the north, New London County in Connecticut to the west, Suffolk County in New York to the southwest, the Atlantic...
. At the time of its closing the hotel was 152165 square feet (14,136.6 m²) large. It was the last remaining water front Victorian Era hotel on mainland Rhode Island.
History
Originally built in 1868 the Ocean House was rather small compared to the other large hotels located on Watch Hill . Over the years many additions were made to the hotel to make it a grand yellow land mark on the shore. In 1916, a motion picture starring Douglas FairbanksDouglas Fairbanks
Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. was an American actor, screenwriter, director and producer. He was best known for his swashbuckling roles in silent films such as The Thief of Bagdad, Robin Hood, and The Mark of Zorro....
called American Aristocracy was filmed at the Ocean House.
Closing
The old Ocean House did not have any heating, air conditioning, or ventilation. It was a seasonal hotel only open for about three months a year. After the Great WhiteGreat White
Great White is an American hard rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1978. The band gained popularity during the 1980s and early 1990s. The band released several albums in the late 1980s and gained airplay on MTV with music videos for songs like "Once Bitten, Twice Shy"...
Station nightclub fire
The Station nightclub fire
The Station nightclub fire was the fourth deadliest nightclub fire in American history, killing 100 people. The fire began at 11:07 PM EST, on Thursday, February 20, 2003, at The Station, a glam metal and rock n roll themed nightclub located at 211 Cowesett Avenue in West Warwick, Rhode Island.The...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
's demanding fire codes were more rigorously enforced . The 138-year-old structure was grossly non-compliant with current building and life safety codes . The timber building's structure was compromised due to installation of electric and gas lines, plumbing, and reconfiguring the rooms to have private bathrooms. In the last years of the hotel's life the top two floors were off-limits to guests. Of the original 159 rooms only 59 could be used. The Ocean House closed its doors in 2003 and was sold.
The current owners considered renovating the old building . To do so would have required installation of interior structural shear walls to bring the Ocean House up to current code for hurricane and wind loads . New hurricane-rated windows set in new frames and a brand new foundation made of concrete with steel tie-downs throughout would have also been needed. All lead paint would have to be stripped off the exterior and interior . Interior mold would have to be removed which meant demolishing interior finishes . To offer today's hotel amenities two floors would need to be created below the current building, plus a concealed parking garage would be required . All these problems would be economically and physically impossible to fix, so the owners decided to replicate the Ocean House .