The Atlantic City Memorial building.
It rose before us—a substantial structure built in a roughly square architectural footprint, standing two full stories high with solid construction that suggested it had originally been designed to last. The architecture carried that distinctive early-to-mid-twentieth-century aesthetic that characterized many of Atlantic City's older public buildings—clean lines, functional design, built to make a statement about civic permanence.
Even in darkness, I could make out details that indicated its transformation from memorial to fortified refuge. The windows had been systematically reinforced or blocked entirely, reducing vulnerable entry points. The main entrance showed signs of heavy modification—additional barriers, and even firing positions…if I wasn't wrong.
