Convention Hall: Going, Going, Gone

CAPE MAY – As of 2:05 p.m. Fri., Dec. 3, the last piece of Convention Hall fell to the ground.
If it was a clue on television’s “Jeopardy,” the answer would be four and three quarter days. The question: “How long did it take to knock down Convention Hall?”
The last piece of steel support structure and parts of the roof hit the ground with a bang shortly after 2 p.m. to the applause of onlookers.
Contractors Albrecht and Heun began demolition Mon. Nov. 29. The Solarium was completely demolished Thurs. Dec. 2.
Mayor Edward J. Mahaney Jr. told the Herald, Albrecht and Heun were on schedule with the demolition. He said the steel structure will be recycled.
Next week, Albrecht and Heun will begin removal of the concrete foundation, a job which should be completed between December 15 and 20, said the mayor. Some specified pilings will also be removed, said Mahaney.
“The concrete foundation will be sent for recycling to be ground as a road base which will then be used on the city streets that are now under reconstruction,” he said. “Cape May maintains its commitment to being a green and recycling community by recycling useful materials for future use.”
Mahaney said the ground concrete will be used in street reconstruction on Maryland, Idaho and Cape May avenues on the east side of the town and on Claghorn Place, Grant and Congress streets on the west side.
The city held a pre-bid meeting for potential contractors to install pilings for the new Convention Hall earlier in the day. Mahaney said bids for pilings are due Dec. 17.
Pre-cast concrete from the roof of Convention Hall will also be ground and recycled as road base, he said.
All demolition material prior to the morning of Dec. 3 went to the landfill. Mahaney said all materials from Dec. 3 onward will be recycled such as the steel structures and concrete.
He said he expected the former foundation of the hall will need to be removed with a jack hammer.