Convention Hall Construction Bid Opening Delayed/Solarium Likely for Demolition

CAPE MAY — A number of contractors were seated in City Hall Auditorium March 18 at 4 p.m. for the bid opening for the construction contract for a new Convention Hall, but the opening was postponed.
Bid packages were returned to contractors unopened and another bid opening scheduled for March 30 at 2 p.m.
Details are sketchy. Mayor Edward J. Mahaney Jr. did not release any details. He said a press release might be issued in the future.
The delay was explained to contactors at the scheduled bid opening by Steve Markley of Hunter Roberts, the construction management company for the project, as a “late challenge to the bid specifications, the city has been ordered to issue an addendum which will prevent it from opening the bids it received.”
He said the addendum was scheduled to be submitted to all prospective bidders March 19.
Last week, City Council rejected the only submitted bid received to relocate the Solarium. The $180,000 bid was from J. Hauck, of Absecon. A resolution approved by council noted the lowest submitted bid exceeded the engineer’s estimate of construction cost.
While council has not officially acted on the future of the Solarium, City Manager Bruce MacLeod told the Herald the building would likely be demolished. He said the only suitable building lot in the city, located on Elmira Street, had wetland buffer issues requiring a CAFRA permit from the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
DEP often takes six to 10 months to issue a CAFRA permit.