Goodbye Fire Escape

Updating the exterior of the Richards Building naturally involves removing outdated features that no longer serve a purpose, such as the exterior fire escape on the North Sussex Street side of the building. (Old pictures showed this fire escape in place as early as 1940, which makes me glad I never had to use it!)

This fire escape once provided emergency exits for the second and third floors, but it is now redundant. In recent months, a new interior stairwell has been constructed, offering a safe and convenient exit to Blackwell Street for those on the upper floors in case of an emergency.

On Friday, March 28th, Jefferson Recycling meticulously carried out the removal of the fire escape throughout the day. The crew began early in the morning, with one side of the road blocked off to ensure pedestrian safety. A police presence was stationed at the intersection of Bassett Highway and Sussex Street to safeguard residents and passersby.

You might wonder what it takes to dismantle a fire escape that is almost a hundred years old. Jefferson Recycling started by removing the ladder and the weight located beneath the second-floor landing, followed by the railings attached to the stairs, and then the stairs themselves. Finally, they took down the landings for both the second and third floors. The entire demolition process lasted approximately eight hours, and the crew executed the removal with great skill and efficiency.

The next step following the removal of the fire escape will involve contractors coming in to reconstruct the exterior wall of the building. This will allow for the installation of new windows on both the second and third floors, matching the historic style of the building, to replace the doorways that previously led to the fire escape.

Please refer to the images below for the fire escape removal process.