Convention Hall Contract Will Be No Bid

CAPE MAY — The city is expected to choose the architectural firm of Kimmel Bogrette to design a new convention hall under a no-bid professional services contract, a move some members of the public questioned at an Oct. 2 city council meeting.
Two residents said they would prefer to have the city’s choice for an architect put out to bid.
Mayor Jerome E. Inderwies said the firm would be selected and Architect Martin Kimmel, president of Kimmel Bogrette, has submitted, without charge, a half-dozen possible designs for a new hall to the city’s Convention Hall Subcommittee.
Resident Christine Miller asked council why the architectural contract for a new convention hall was not being “put out to fair and open competition.”
Inderwies said he was not going to answer that question.
“I don’t think it’s an appropriate question at this time,” he said.
“It’s a very huge, important project and although it’s not required by state law, it is the preferred practice to put it out to a fair and open competition…” said Miller.
She said the architect would be responsible for all the engineering systems in the building. Miller said Kimmel Bogrette should be willing to put itself in a competition with other architectural firms with their work judged against other firms.
Skip Loughlin, chairman of the convention hall subcommittee, said he found Kimmel very easy to work with and very receptive to suggestions. Loughlin said the full revitalization committee examined all information presented by Kimmel.
“It has been an unanimous decision by the revitalization committee that city council enter into a professional services contract with Kimmel Bogrette to design convention hall and move forward with the project,” he said.
Resident Jean Powick said given the current state of the construction industry, she believed a number of architects would submit bids.
City Solicitor Tony Monzo said professional services contracts are not required to be bid. He said council was not required to justify hiring a contractor that did not submit the lowest bid.
Kimmel made a presentation to city council of the benefits of hiring his firm.
He said the company had a track record of few change orders during construction, which increase total costs. While the national average of change orders from firms is 6 to 12 percent, he said Kimmel Bogrette averaged 1 percent.
He said the city’s contracted engineering firm, Remington Vernick, contacted his firm for the convention hall project.
“We are municipal specialists,” Kimmel said. “We work with communities all over this state and all over Pennsylvania and all over Delaware with community-minded projects.
Jules Rausch, representing the Cape May Taxpayers Association, requested that council hire an independent, general works manager to oversee the construction of a new convention hall. He said such a professional could make sure designs are not materially flawed, plans and schedules are being followed, all material meet the highest standards, approve any change orders and approve the release of any funds to participants.
The manager would inspect and approve all work.
The association is also requesting an explanation of the costs and how the hall will be financed, alternative designs and the obligation taxpayers would bear. In addition, they are requesting an estimate of annual operating costs, a management plan and parking plan for the hall.
Councilpersons Linda Steenrod, David Craig and deputy Mayor Niels Favre said they wanted more time to study information given them by Kimmel Bogrette before making a decision.
Favre said he wanted City Manager Luciano V. Corea Jr. to meet with the taxpayers association to gather more information on hiring an independent, project manager to oversee construction of a new hall.
Kimmel projected images of four early suggested designs and a design currently favored by the convention hall committee which features a center front entrance from the promenade and a facade design harkening back to a hall that opened in Cape May, July 4, 1917.
The hall would have space for a restaurant, an option for a limited second floor. The entire hall would measure about 22,000 square feet with a construction cost of $6 million to $9 million.
Kimmel said he believed the hall could be built in seven months.
He said Remington and Vernick would handle civil engineering including plumbing, mechanical and electrical systems. Kimmel said the hall need to be under construction by August 2008.
He said his firm, along with Remington Vernick, were experts in designing building components that could be fabricated offsite, shipped, and installed quickly to cut down on labor costs. Kimmel suggested building a shell of a second floor, if council chooses not to construct a second floor, so it could be completed at a time in the future.
Once under contract, Kimmel said he would bring very specific plans for council’s approval.