CAPE MAY CITY – It is not often that municipal governing bodies are applauded following a vote on a bond ordinance, but that is what happened at the City Council meeting March 18.
The council unanimously adopted a bond ordinance for $2.2 million to fund needed improvements at the city-owned 1879 Emlen Physick Estate, a historic gem in Cape May’s portfolio of historic Victorian structures. The building was designed by renowned architect Frank Furness and serves as the city’s Victorian house museum.
Improvements are planned for the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, the fire suppression system and electrical wiring. Work is also scheduled for some of the estate’s outbuildings, including the carriage house and wagon house.
The property is leased by the city to the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts, which operates and maintains the facility. MAC will be responsible for reimbursing the city for the amount of the bond. It is making use of city bonding authority as the least expensive option for financing the improvements.
The council also passed a resolution setting the terms of the reimbursement plan. The plan will become final and binding when the bond is sold and the actual interest rate is known.
Contact the reporter, Vince Conti, at vconti@cmcherald.com.
