 From the time of its construction until a seawall construction project in the 1970s, visitors to the hall could look directly over the Atlantic Ocean from the hall's easternmost outer walkway.Heat was provided in colder months by a system of underground pipes connected to a city-owned steam plant, located at the southernmost end of the Boardwalk.The entire complex was designed in a combination Italian-French style, with an emphasis on nautical themes in recognition of its oceanfront location.