Capital Projects Parks and Public Places

PARKS AND PUBLIC PLACES

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CURRENT PROJECTS

29TH STREET FIREHOUSE

  • DESCRIPTION: In July 2014, City Council awarded an $80,200 contract to Czar Engineering of Egg Harbor Township to design a restored firehouse after the building was damaged by 28 inches of floodwater during Superstorm Sandy. The plans called for repairs to the existing structure, along with the addition of a second story. The first floor would consist of a 593-square-foot equipment bay, a 1,769-square-foot apparatus bay, a storage area and an exercise room. The new second floor would house: a living room/kitchen area; two bunk areas totaling about 290 square feet; office space; restrooms and a locker area; about 120 feet of storage space; and an entry area of about 205 square feet. Council authorized going out to bid in July 2015. Following Sandy, FEMA had agree to pay 90 percent of the cost to repair the building, which it estimated at $443,000. The bids, however, came back at $2 million.

  • SCHEDULE: The city is currently negotiating with FEMA on a new reimbursement figure and expects an agreement within the next few weeks. The resolution of that process will determine the timeline for moving forward.

  • PROJECT UPDATE: The city is prepared to pay its portion of the project cost and will use money from a $1.5 million pool of post-Sandy capital ordinances and reimbursements that have already been approved (because the money already has been budgeted, this project does not appear on the capital plan for 2016-2020).

ARTIFICIAL TURF AT CAREY FIELD

  • DESCRIPTION: Installation of artificial turf at Carey Stadium, which is adjacent to Ocean City High School but owned by the City of Ocean City. The project was part of a 2014 plan to save money on maintenance and increase opportunities for different games and events on the field. The city team has identified a cork infill that is natural, healthy and entirely organic. A special weave in the artificial grass helps keep the infill in place in wind and rain. The city budgeted approximately $1 million for the project and will tap into the balance of bond ordinances that were approved in 2013 and 2014 for work at the field.

  • SCHEDULE: Spring 2016

  • PROJECT UPDATE: City Council awarded a $494,721.51 contract to Field Turf USA on Feb. 11 for the purchase of artificial turf with an entirely organic cork infill. Council awarded a $449,900 contract to LandTek Group to install the turf. The project is now expected to start only after the Ocean City High School graduation ceremony in mid-June.

C ITY HALL

  • DESCRIPTION: Replacement of the ground-floor exterior doors and windows. The project takes advantage of $230,000 in Sandy grant funding to repair the flood-damaged building.
  • SCHEDULE: Spring 2016

  • PROJECT UPDATE: Michael Calafati Architect LLC was awarded the design, and Straga Brothers has the contract. Project expected to be complete by the end of April.

LIBRARY ROOF REPLACEMENT

  • DESCRIPTION: Replacement of the roof at the Ocean City Free Public Library on the 1700 block of Simpson Avenue.
  • SCHEDULE: Spring 2016

  • PROJECT UPDATE: The project is currently under construction. The roof work has been completed with the glass in the skylight to be replaced to make the skylight watertight.

IMPROVEMENTS TO RACQUET COURTS FACILITIES

  • DESCRIPTION: New tennis court carpet and basketball/hockey surface.
  • SCHEDULE: Winter 2016

  • PROJECT UPDATE: All Surface Asphalt Paving is the low bidder for the project. Basketball and hockey surfaces completed with the paving of the Shelter Road parking lot to occur in the coming weeks. Tennis repairs later in spring.

PICKLEBALL COURTS

  • DESCRIPTION: New permanent Pickleball courts had been proposed at a site at the Ocean City Intermediate School, then at the site of a Shelter Road parking lot.
  • SCHEDULE: To be determined

  • PROJECT UPDATE: Community Services Director Michael Allegretto is researching surfaces and locations that could be suitable for both Pickleball players and soft-surface tennis players.

RESTORATION OF THE HISTORIC TRANSPORTATION CENTER

  • DESCRIPTION: Interior storm damage repairs and restoration of historic turret to the building using $501,000 in Sandy grant funding.
  • SCHEDULE: Spring 2016

  • PROJECT UPDATE: Phase 2 construction of the interior of the building is complete. Engineer designing the next phase (turret). Straga has contract to complete job.

AIRPORT PLAYGROUND

  • DESCRIPTION: Installation of rubber safety surface at airport.
  • SCHEDULE: Spring 2016

  • PROJECT UPDATE: Contract awarded. Work to start later in spring.

HISTORIC U.S. LIFESAVING STATION

  • DESCRIPTION: Restoration of a historic U.S. Life Saving Station that operated in Ocean City from 1885 to 1915. The city purchased the building in 2010 for about $1 million, ending a decade-long battle to save the station from demolition. Five years earlier, Ocean City voters rejected a proposed $3 million purchase of the property. In 2011, the site received a $750,000 New Jersey Historic Trust grant. The money was part of a matching grant – the city had to come up with an equal $750,000 to help the museum replace its roof and complete work on the foundation, windows and porch of the historic building. The members of local nonprofit U.S. Life Saving Station 30 have promised to repay the full cost of the $750,000 the city invested in restoring the site. The Life Saving Station has also received a $145,000 grant from Superstorm Sandy relief, but those funds are tied to improvements of the grounds and not the structure.

  • SCHEDULE: Restoration ongoing and could be complete by the end of 2016.

  • PROJECT UPDATE: The project exterior is completed with grounds maintenance being coordinated .

ON-STREET BIKE RACKS

  • DESCRIPTION: Installation Installation of on-street bike parking at 40 locations within the city plus a storage shelter at Ninth Street and Haven Avenue. This project is being funded by the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program.
  • SCHEDULE: Fall 2016

  • PROJECT UPDATE: The city is working to identify locations for the project.

DOWNTOWN STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS

  • DESCRIPTION: Replacing the sidewalk, street furniture, parking meters and other improvements to the 800 block of Asbury Avenue.
  • SCHEDULE: Spring 2016

  • PROJECT UPDATE: Initial meeting with downtown group held and general scope outlined and includes Ninth Street between West Avenue and Central Avenue with 4-way crosswalk brick at Ninth and Asbury. Estimated cost is $1.25 million.

COMMUNITY CENTER IMPROVEMENTS

  • DESCRIPTION: Lobby improvements to prevent cold-air intrusion and replacement of cooling tower
  • SCHEDULE: Fall 2016

  • PROJECT UPDATE: In design stage.

CITY HALL PLUMBING IMPROVEMENTS

  • DESCRIPTION: Replacement of lead plumbing pipes for the 2nd and 3rd floors of City Hall.
  • SCHEDULE: Not yet scheduled

  • PROJECT UPDATE: City crews investigating.

NEW POLICE STATION AND MUNICIPAL COURT

  • DESCRIPTION: An evaluation of the 125-year-old building by an outside engineer indicates it is structurally deficient and incapable of meeting FEMA flood requirements. The proposed five-year capital plan includes $10 million to design and build a new facility.
  • SCHEDULE: Not yet scheduled

  • PROJECT UPDATE: The city is evaluating different plans and locations to build a new public safety building with as little impact as possible to the community and to police operations.

BAYSIDE CENTER IMPROVEMENTS

  • DESCRIPTION: Electrical and HVAC upgrades to the Bayside Center.
  • SCHEDULE: Spring 2016

  • PROJECT UPDATE: Architectural services awarded to move the project forward. Job out to bid.

CIVIC CENTER ROOF

  • DESCRIPTION: Repairs of leaks in Civic Center roof.
  • SCHEDULE: Not yet scheduled

  • PROJECT UPDATE: Public Works crews and the third-party owner of rooftop solar panels are investigating.

WELCOME CENTER MODIFICATIONS

  • DESCRIPTION: Addition of interior stairwell.
  • SCHEDULE: Spring 2016

  • PROJECT UPDATE: Work started March 16 and is expected to be complete in six weeks.

34TH STREET RECREATION BUILDING

  • DESCRIPTION: Enclosure of deck space to create a tennis office.
  • SCHEDULE: Not yet scheduled

  • PROJECT UPDATE: Building plan is complete.

CONSTRUCTION OF SALT STORAGE FACILITY

  • DESCRIPTION: Salt storage facility on the west side of the 34th Street Bridge is no longer usable. Construction of new salt facility on Shelter Road.
  • SCHEDULE: Not yet scheduled

  • PROJECT UPDATE: On hold to resolve FAA issues.

COMPLETED PROJECTS

SKATEBOARD PARK

  • DESCRIPTION: The city used a $500,000 grant from Cape May County and $250,000 of city funds to replace a small skateboard park that was dismantled in 2011 with a new state-of-the-art concrete facility at Fifth Street and Asbury Avenue.

INSTALLATION OF TRACK SURFACE AT CAREY FIELD

  • DESCRIPTION: Repair and replacement of track at Carey Field, adjacent to Ocean City High School.

15TH STREET PLAYGROUND IMPROVEMENTS

  • DESCRIPTION: New equipment, playground surface, rest room and canopy.

COMMUNITY CENTER HVAC IMPROVEMENTS

  • DESCRIPTION: Replacing coils on rooftop air conditioner.

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