Cape May to Receive Another Round of Bids for Convention Hall

CAPE MAY — The city will open a new set of bids for Convention Hall May 25 at 1 p.m.
Councilman-elect Jack Wichterman asked City Council at a May 18 meeting to consider putting a moratorium on the final decision on the new facility until after three new councilpersons are sworn in July 1. He said he knew he could not do a thing about if the current council rejects his request.
Wichterman said over the past six weeks, he and council persons-elect Deanna Fiocca and Bill Murray had met with well over 50 percent of Cape May’s residents while campaigning.
“The main concern of residents of this town right now is the new Convention Hall and the cost thereof,” said Wichterman.
He said residents were concerned about the size and cost of the proposed hall.
“Frankly, I found very, very few people who were in favor of what we are proposing at the present time,” said Wichterman.
He said the new council members would like to be involved in the final decision on a new Convention Hall.
“You all will be involved,” promised Mayor Edward J. Mahaney Jr. “I think you should be involved.”
On March 30, City Council rejected all 11 bids submitted by construction companies to construct a new Convention Hall here. All exceeded the $10.5-million bond approved by voters in 2008.
Bids for the basic building ranged from $10.8 million to $12.1 million. Promenade reconstruction bids ranged from $300,000 to $1 million. Geothermal system bids ranged from $381,000 to $1.1 million.
The basic building, Promenade reconstruction and geothermal installation came as package deals. As an example: Domus Construction bid $10.1 million to construct the basic building, $700,000 for the Promenade and $800,000 for geothermal installation for a grand total of $11.6 million not including the 16 alternatives for the building.
Network Construction offered a bid of $12.1 million for the basic building, $579,000 for the Promenade and $758,000 for the geothermal system for a total of $13.4 again not including the 16 alternatives.
Bids combining the basic building, Promenade and geothermal system ranged from $11.6 million from Domus Construction to $13.2 million from Adams Bickels and Associates. Four bids were made in the $12.4 to $12.6 range.