Post by wildre on Sept 27, 2006 7:18:39 GMT -5
From todays CM Herald
GWTIDA Puts Rio Grande Project on Hold, Moves Forward with Parking Study (9.27.2006)
By Lauren Huggins
WILDWOOD - A proposed million-dollar entranceway project at Rio Grande and Ocean avenues near the boardwalk and the convention center has hit another bump in the road.
Greater Wildwoods Tourism Improvement and Development Authority (GWTIDA) voted 4-2 on Sept. 21 to appropriate $9,500 for the preparation of bid documents for the project, but six affirmative votes were required.
"I just don't think we should be spending our money that way," said board member Paul Reidenbach, who voted against the proposal. "The money can be spent better."
Donna Long was the second board member who voted "no."
The venture is funded with a $300,000 grant from the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, $600,000 from GWTIDA and $150,000 sponsorship sign that was still being arranged.
Board member Ralph Johnson told the board he couldn't believe that it "took this long to get to where we are now."
The entranceway project was delayed two times before. The first was when the bid documents, prepared by Remington & Vernick, were held up until January.
When the authority finally received bids, the low bid was "nonresponsive" because it was incomplete, and the other two bids both exceeded the funds allocated for the project.
The specs for the project were changed and a cheaper alternative was possible.
The authority had voted 6-1 on June 14 to appropriate $11,500 to the firm to amend plans for the walkway that would extend from the boardwalk to a concrete ramp.
John Siciliano, executive director of the Wildwoods Convention Center, said at the June board meeting that using concrete would cut down on the cost of using natural wood and having to install support pilings.
Siciliano told the board that he didn't want to waste any more time and the additional funds were needed for the engineering firm of Remington & Vernick to prepare the new bid documents.
"A delay means dollars," added Chairperson Arlieen Franco.
The matter was tabled until the next meeting.
In other business, the authority voted unanimously to spend $3,000 on a proposal from Richard Stokes Architecture for a cost estimate on a two-tier parking garage.
Siciliano said that the study would focus on the parking lots south of the convention center.
"I've heard a lot of numbers, but we want to make sure those costs we've heard are realistic," he told the board. "We don't know if we can even do something like this unless we know what it is really going to cost us."
Reidenbach said he was concerned about going into direct competition with private parking lots businesses.
"How many times a year do we actually need extra parking?" he asked.
Johnson said that the two-tier parking would be responding to some of the questions that the state Coastal Area Facility Review Act had directed toward the city's high-rise development.
"It is in preparation for what is coming this way," he said.
"If we see that type of development in the next couple of years," added Siciliano "the demand for parking is only going to go up."
Siciliano estimated that the cost-estimate would be completed in six weeks.
Contact Huggins at: (609) 886-8600 ext. 25 or lhuggins@cmcherald.com
www.capemaycountyherald.com/article/articles/1910/1/GWTIDA-Puts-Rio-Grande-Project-on-Hold%2C-Moves-Forward-with-Parking-Study-%289.27.2006%29
GWTIDA Puts Rio Grande Project on Hold, Moves Forward with Parking Study (9.27.2006)
By Lauren Huggins
WILDWOOD - A proposed million-dollar entranceway project at Rio Grande and Ocean avenues near the boardwalk and the convention center has hit another bump in the road.
Greater Wildwoods Tourism Improvement and Development Authority (GWTIDA) voted 4-2 on Sept. 21 to appropriate $9,500 for the preparation of bid documents for the project, but six affirmative votes were required.
"I just don't think we should be spending our money that way," said board member Paul Reidenbach, who voted against the proposal. "The money can be spent better."
Donna Long was the second board member who voted "no."
The venture is funded with a $300,000 grant from the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, $600,000 from GWTIDA and $150,000 sponsorship sign that was still being arranged.
Board member Ralph Johnson told the board he couldn't believe that it "took this long to get to where we are now."
The entranceway project was delayed two times before. The first was when the bid documents, prepared by Remington & Vernick, were held up until January.
When the authority finally received bids, the low bid was "nonresponsive" because it was incomplete, and the other two bids both exceeded the funds allocated for the project.
The specs for the project were changed and a cheaper alternative was possible.
The authority had voted 6-1 on June 14 to appropriate $11,500 to the firm to amend plans for the walkway that would extend from the boardwalk to a concrete ramp.
John Siciliano, executive director of the Wildwoods Convention Center, said at the June board meeting that using concrete would cut down on the cost of using natural wood and having to install support pilings.
Siciliano told the board that he didn't want to waste any more time and the additional funds were needed for the engineering firm of Remington & Vernick to prepare the new bid documents.
"A delay means dollars," added Chairperson Arlieen Franco.
The matter was tabled until the next meeting.
In other business, the authority voted unanimously to spend $3,000 on a proposal from Richard Stokes Architecture for a cost estimate on a two-tier parking garage.
Siciliano said that the study would focus on the parking lots south of the convention center.
"I've heard a lot of numbers, but we want to make sure those costs we've heard are realistic," he told the board. "We don't know if we can even do something like this unless we know what it is really going to cost us."
Reidenbach said he was concerned about going into direct competition with private parking lots businesses.
"How many times a year do we actually need extra parking?" he asked.
Johnson said that the two-tier parking would be responding to some of the questions that the state Coastal Area Facility Review Act had directed toward the city's high-rise development.
"It is in preparation for what is coming this way," he said.
"If we see that type of development in the next couple of years," added Siciliano "the demand for parking is only going to go up."
Siciliano estimated that the cost-estimate would be completed in six weeks.
Contact Huggins at: (609) 886-8600 ext. 25 or lhuggins@cmcherald.com
www.capemaycountyherald.com/article/articles/1910/1/GWTIDA-Puts-Rio-Grande-Project-on-Hold%2C-Moves-Forward-with-Parking-Study-%289.27.2006%29
