Don't worry not Great Adventure http://blog.masslive.com/breakingnews/2008/02/construction_of_new_roller_coa.htmlConstruction of new roller coaster halted
Posted by The Republican Newsroom February 20, 2008 19:50PM
By DAVID BERGENGREN
dbergengren@repub.com
AGAWAM - Building Inspector Dominic Urbinati issued a stop work order today on Six Flags New England's $7 million "Dark Knight" indoor roller coaster project.
"The building is all framed and up," said Urbinati, who called the work done so far "unlawful work without permits."
Without the proper construction documents, Urbinati said there was no way he can ensure the project meets state building codes, including safety requirements for fire-suppression systems and easily accessible exits.
"The bottom line is they don't have a building permit," Zoning Board of Appeals member Gary E. Suffriti said.
"There's going to be hundreds of people on that ride," board member James C. Marmo said. "Heaven forbid there's a fire in there." The zoning board signed off on the project last week, granting a height variance contingent on Six Flags meeting all state and local structural and safety codes for the approximately 70-foot-tall building.
Responding to a tip, Suffriti and Marmo took a look at the construction site last Friday.
"I was floored, I'll be quite honest with you," Suffriti said. "This building has been being built. It had to have been being built for a couple of months."
During that time, Six Flags had been seeking the height variance, required because the proposed building at the park's Main Street site exceeds the city's height limit of 45 feet in a Business B Zone.
"This is a huge, huge building. It isn't a little shed," Urbinati said. "While they were going before the board of appeals, it appears they were building this building."
Asked why construction proceeded without a building permit, Six Flags public relations manager Melissa M. Pinkerton said, "We're working closely with the town so that all parties will be satisfied."
Six Flags officials plan to meet on March 5 with officials from the state Department of Public Safety "to review the entire ride," Pinkerton said.
"I can assure you that safety is our No. 1 priority," she said. "We will absolutely have everything in place to operate this ride in a safe manner."
As for construction documents, Pinkerton said, "We have submitted the initial documents. We are making some revisions, and we are in the process of resubmitting them (to the building inspector)."
"They have to stop work," Urbinati said, "until they have satisfied the Massachusetts state building code in my eyes."
The zoning board will meet Friday at 8:30 a.m. at City Hall "to see what (we) want to do about this," Suffriti said. One option could be to rescind last week's height variance approval, he said.
The indoor roller coaster ride is being designed to evoke a Gotham City caught up in battle between Batman and The Joker.
"We are still aiming for the Memorial Day weekend opening," Pinkerton said.
Topic: Dark Knight Construction halted (Read 3181 times)