Accessibility Problem in City Hall Elevator will be Explored

The City Council last week approved a contract with Providence-based Robinson Green Beretta Corp. to explore the possibility of making the elevator at City Hall accessible once and for all.

Public meetings have been held outside of the historic City Hall building since the state Attorney General’s office ruled that meetings were in violation of the American Disabilities Act because of the old elevator, which can’t accommodate wheelchairs.

The AG also ruled that the city’s practice of offering a live feed of the meeting across the street at the Newport Police Department headquarters was inadequate.

The new contract, totaling $19,870, should give the city a reasonable picture of whether the elevator can be upgraded to meet ADA requirements while preserving the historic nature of the building.

The contract is a supplement to a 2013 contract which was originally to give the city an overview of building conditions at several city properties.

“This action streamlines facility improvement plans associated with City Hall into one effort,” a release stated.

RGB will see if the building can accommodate a reasonably-priced elevator located “within or adjacent to the facility.”

Using a digital floor plan, RGB will “verify that a new elevator that can be retrofitted in the existing shaft,” according to a proposal. “A potential location within the current footprint where an elevator could fit will also be considered. A third option is to attach an elevator shaft to the existing structure.”

The company also said that “the options will be evaluated not only on the basis of probable cost and time, but also relative to potential dust, noise and other effects on city employees. These effects during construction need to be weighed and mitigated throughout the process, beginning with planning and analysis.”

The company said the study and a cost estimate could be ready within 10 days.

In March, city resident Zack Bastian took the City Council to task over the issue of accessibility at City Hall, pulling himself up the 21 granite steps to attend the meeting.

Being physically present at meetings on matters pertaining to local government is important and today, he said, there are certain social rights that should be respected by now.

“This is a gorgeous building, this is where City Hall may stay, but I just think it should be more accessible,” he said.