Cape May Awards Demolition Contract for Convention Hall

CAPE MAY – City Council awarded a $109,648 contract to Albrecht and Heun of Court House to demolish Convention Hall and the Solarium.
At a Wed. Nov. 3 City Council meeting, Deputy Mayor Jack Wichterman said council opened nine bids with the low bid from Albrecht and Heun to a top bid of $316,000.
Councilman Bill Murray asked City Manager Bruce MacLeod if he was comfortable with the low bid where there was such a wide range of bidding for the demolition.
MacLeod said he discussed the situation with construction manager and consultant for the Convention Hall project, Steve Markley of Hunter Roberts, who told him demolition bids will vary significantly as compared to product or equipment bids.
MacLeod said the second lowest bid was $139,000.
“As it turns out, both of the bidders with the low bids, also have available to them their own recycling stations that probably gave them an advantage over some of the other bidders,” he said.
Five bids were submitted ranging from about $190,000 to $210,000. MacLeod said the two highest bids were $290,000 and $316,000.
He said Albrecht and Heun being a local firm may have factored into their ability to offer a low price.
Mayor Edward J. Mahaney Jr. said the firm “had a history of doing more than satisfactory work for both the city and county.”
He said Albrecht and Heun’s last work in Cape May was to truck in 300 loads of sand per day for four months for beach replenishment at the Coast Guard base beach last year
Deputy Mayor Jack Wichterman said the city hoped to see demolition of Convention Hall and the Solarium beginning the week of November 22.