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The Asbury Park Historical Society will hold their annual reorganization meeting Thursday and one of the first items on their agenda will be the announcement of an initiative to see Convention Hall’s missing copper panels replaced.

In March of 2012, the public discovered 27  — or six tons of — original, antique copper panels that date back to 1929 went missing from the structure after they had been removed to conduct a structural inspection of the building.

The panels, pictured in the photo at top, hung below the second floor windows of the hall. The estimated loss exceeds $100,000.

Historical society members plan to draft a letter to send to the State Historic Preservation Office to find out what the status of the missing panels is and how to remedy the problem, according to society president Don Stine. The letter will be discussed at the society’s Thursday meeting and will be part of a larger letter writing campaign.

“We’ll also be contacting area legislators for their support, which we expect to get,” he said. “I think that is our next logical step.”

At the time the panels were discovered missing, investigation by the Asbury Park police failed to turn up the panels or a suspect, according to Acting Chief Anthony Salerno.

Listed on the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places, Convention Hall was designed by the architectural firm of Warren and Wetmore, who also designed the landmark Grand Central Terminal in New York. Due to the building’s historical status, the historical society and others wanted state involvement, Salerno said.

The state Division of Criminal Justice offered their assistance which was accepted by the department, said Salerno. Asbury Park police listed their investigation as inactive. Salerno could not give an exact status of the state’s investigation.

Department of Law and Public Safety spokesperson Peter Aseltine did not return the Sun’s calls for comment. At the time of the incident, he declined comment on the matter, citing departmental policy to neither confirm or deny a criminal investigation.

Boardwalk redeveloper Madison Marquette, who currently own the building, reported to the police that the panels were stolen on Aug. 2, 2011, and announced publicly that they were stolen in March 2012.

Madison Marquette is committed to the replacement of the panels but maintains the position that their replacement must wait until state law enforcement authorities complete their investigation of the theft.

“The investigation at the state remains open,” said Carrie Turner, general manager for Madison Marquette.

No timeframe for the completion of the state’s investigation was given to the company, she previously told the Sun.

Stine said he was surprised the state granted the initial approval for redevelopers to remove the copper panels for the structural assessment.

“It’s not helping that building any — to have the interior exposed to the salt air.”

The Asbury Park Historical Society’s annual reorganization meeting takes place at 7 p.m. in the Asbury Park Public Library, located at 500 First Ave.

[Photo at right shows the building post panel theft.]

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