Convention Hall Repairs Still an Option

CAPE MAY — Mayor Edward J. Mahaney Jr. told reporters Tuesday the city has not ruled out fixing up Convention Hall rather than demolishing the building this winter.
Repairs could act as stopgap measure to buy the city more time to find financing for a new hall. He said an option remains to restore the current hall rather than build a new one.
The Herald told the mayor it had received two anonymous phone calls questioning the accuracy of a report from the engineering firm of Pennoni Associates of Bethlehem, Pa. that caused the building to be closed. The caller claimed the engineering firm never inspected the hall.
Following that report, Convention Hall was closed on April 4. Pennoni Associates noted serious structural problems that could jeopardize public safety and create liability issues.
Mahaney said he read the engineering report and believed Pennoni Associates did inspect the building. He said council would revisit stabilizing the building to allow it to reopen without spending a tremendous amount of money.
After receiving two bids in excess of $300,000 to temporarily shore up Convention Hall city council voted on May 6, not to spend the money on the hall.
Then City Manager Luciano V.Corea Jr. told council Quinn Construction of Folcroft, Pa. presented a quote of $345,000 and Patton Construction of Pennsauken a quote of $311,000. He said the work would take four weeks to complete.
Corea called the quotes “best case numbers,” estimated before any excavation was started. He said the remedial repairs would require a CAFRA permit from the state Department of Environmental Protection although an interim emergency permit could be issued by DEP.
Corea, at that time, said the hall was not in danger of imminent collapse and offices of the recreation department and beach tag operations would remain in the front of Convention Hall.
Mahaney has left open the option of building a new Convention Hal at a location away from the beachfront. He has questioned the city having its most expensive asset in a location subject to storm damage.
A Nor’easter destroyed an earlier version of Convention Hall in 1962. In that case, the old hall could be shored up and reopened while a new hall was built elsewhere, he said.
Mahaney said council would also consider a temporary structure for events such as a large tent.