Downtown Restaurant Building Demolition Near

OCEAN CITY – The Fat Daddy’s restaurant building on S. Baltimore Ave. and Dorchester Street in downtown Ocean City received its demolition permit last week and destruction is expected to begin next week.

Dave Rainy of Sens Contracting said on Thursday crews are currently in the process of taking a week to remove and dispose of asbestos siding shingles on the building before demolition can take place. Razing efforts are expected to begin next week.

According to Ocean City Development Corporation (OCDC) Executive Director Glenn Irwin Fat Daddy’s restaurant has operated for over 20 years in downtown Ocean City. The building consisted of the restaurant on the first floor and residential units on the second floor, which had been inhabitable for the last few years due to code issues.

The tax records show the building was constructed in 1935 and the current owner, Ed Braude, purchased the property about three years ago from Bo Ruggerio’s estate.

The demolition and reconstruction of a new Fat Daddy’s building downtown has been a work in progress. The proposed plans for the new building includes the Fat Daddy’s restaurant, which will seat 65, and a retail store on the first floor. The second floor will include 20 rental rooms aimed to house at least 42 employees of the restaurant and others working nearby.

Back in September of 2011 was when Braude first came before the Planning and Zoning Commission to present the project.

At that time, OCDC had requested the applicant provide the final colors for siding, detail, awnings and shutters. Also, it was suggested the roof line should have a portion revised, such as a parapet wall to break up the long expanse. The window treatment should also be detailed so it doesn’t present a flat look with the buildings wall.

The commission also became concerned over the external aesthetics of the building. Commission members were initially disappointed by the single, small rendering provided that pictured the building lacking some sort of separation between the different spaces.

The commission voted to approve the proposed site plan but asked for Braude to return with a revised version of the rendering that included the recommendations made.

In late November of this year, legal counsel representing Braude, Joseph Moore, reviewed the progress made with OCDC up to that point.

The OCDC made the following suggestions and Fat Daddy’s has committed to each -- the corner element should have a visually prominent pitch roof rising higher than the flat roof of the main building in order to provide an enhanced focal point and help break up the building’s façade and remove the watch tower feature on the corner entrance way,

Also, pilasters should be added to the locations of the downspouts in order to break the façade into separate spaces, replace the river stone base with cut stone as it is found on the base of the current downtown Fat Daddy’s location, and remove the current fake windows from the west wall elevation and add trim in alternating colors to break up the lengthy expansion of the building.

The commission voted to approve the architectural changes as presented. At that meeting, Irwin called the relationship with Braude “almost a partnership”, adding, “We like the project as far as a mixed-use project.”