By Charles Layton
Marshall and Elliott Koplitz have been fined $277,000 over their failure to have a fire alarm system at the Park View Inn in Ocean Grove.
The Coaster reported on Thursday that the decision was rendered by Superior Court Judge Joseph Quinn in Freehold.
The Ocean Grove Fire Commissioners filed suit in Superior Court on September 9 of last year, seeking an order requiring the owners to reinstall the kind of fire alarm system required of hotels – including uninhabited, run-down ones like the Park View. The Park View once had such a system, but the owners had it removed in 2006 during interior renovations.
The Koplitzes had been fighting the Fire Commissioners over the issue for nearly two years. Ocean Grove Fire Official Ron Cole inspected the Park View in August of 2010 and discovered that the building’s automatic fire alarm system had been removed. The Fire Commissioners then ordered it reinstalled. That did not happen.
On February 17, 2011, the County Construction Board of Appeals upheld the Fire Commissioners’ arguments that the Park View is “extremely susceptible to rapid spread of fire” and is “a significant threat of harm to neighboring structures and occupants.” That board ordered the Koplitzes to install the alarm system. Instead, the Koplitzes chose to contest the order in Superior Court.
It was not until February of this year that the Koplitzes, under heavy legal pressure, installed the alarm system.
The $277,000 in fines assessed by Judge Quinn are based on a fine of $1,000 per day dating from May 16, 2011.
The Koplitzes are also under a Municipal Court order to renovate the old hotel, but they recently fell behind on the timetable for that renovation. The Township is threatening to take them back to court on that issue. If they do not comply with the court-ordered timetable, the Township could be left with no alternative but to condemn the Park View and have it torn down. That is what happened several years ago with another dilapidated, unsafe property owned by the Koplitzes, the Sampler Inn on Main Avenue.
The Koplitz brothers have a history of failing to comply with court and Township orders. They also have a history of failing to pay fines.
For further background, go here.
While it’s heartening to know that the Parkview now has a much-needed fire suppression in place (especially with the weather being so dry of late), I’m of two minds on this one. Yes, the Koplitz brothers should be punished. But on the other hand, this is $277,000 that won’t go into saving the building. Such a shame it has to come to this. Perhaps if the push to save these buildings had started earlier …. 20/20 hindsight and all that.
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I’m sure if there is a way to appeal the fine, the owners will find a way. Public safety and neighboring properties threatened for another year or two or three.
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So how long does everyone think it will take the Park View’s holding company to file for bankruptcy?
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The system installed by the Koplitz’ is a “fire alarm” system which is quite different than a “fire suppression” system. The only value to this system is that it MAY alert neighbors of an impending disaster. So, regrettably, the safety of all those neighbors’ lives and homes continues to be in jeopardy until the courts can enforce the collection of fines or liens the property. That ain’t happening any time soon. And so it goes…..
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I’m sure they will, Ogrover, but at least the system is in now. HPC reviewed the plans for the reno of this building not too long ago and they were quite nice (and appropriate). I’m probably being overly optimistic in hoping they come to fruition.
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