Architects group studying Avalon fire

Chris Pedota/ Staff photographer

Avalon at Edgewater

The New Jersey chapter of the American Institute of Architects has formed a task force to review possible improvements to design practices and building code standards in response to the fire that destroyed an apartment complex in Edgewater.

The six-member task force hopes to educate both the public and New Jersey lawmakers about lightweight wood-framed buildings and propose recommendations to enhance safety standards in existing building codes, said Justin Mihalik, the chapter's president-elect.

"We decided to form this as a result of the increased questions we received after Avalon," Mihalik said, referring to a five-alarm fire that destroyed more than 400 apartments in the Avalon at Edgewater complex on River Road on Jan. 21, displacing hundreds of residents. "Our goal is to educate the public and our legislators, and to promote the value of architecture in general."

Officials said the Edgewater complex was built using a style of wood framing in which the roof and floor support systems are constructed using lightweight prefabricated materials. The method is a cheaper and legal style of building that is common in New Jersey and across the United States.

Educational documents

The task force is taking a multi-pronged approach, Mihalik said. Its members first hope to educate people about what different construction approaches encompass light-frame construction, and then transition into looking at how it can be safer in the aftermath of the Avalon fire.

In addition to Mihalik, the task force will include William J. Martin, a Westwood-based architect. The other members are David Del Vecchio, Robert M. Longo, Jason Lutz and Yogesh Mistry, all of whom are New Jersey architects.

First the task force will put together a report, or a "white paper," Mihalik said, that will describe what the building code requires in New Jersey and what protections are currently in place. In addition, the task force would offer suggestions for safety enhancements, Mihalik said.

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Architects group studying Avalon fire