Ocean City Plans Improvements to Boardwalk, Music Pier

By MADDY VITALE Widening areas of the Boardwalk and re-decking other areas are two ways that Ocean City would like to use grant funds if secured through the state's Boardwalk Preservation Fund. Gov. Phil Murphy signed a bill in August establishing the boardwalk fund for New Jersey’s shore communities. The fund appropriates $100 million for the renovation and repair of boardwalks in beach towns across the state. Towns could apply for funds through grant applications. During a meeting Thursday, City Council approved a resolution authorizing a $16,500 professional services contract for Czar Engineering LLC of Egg Harbor Township to handle surveying and structural engineering services for the Boardwalk's reconstruction from St. James Place to 5th Street and from 12th Street to 23rd Street. The state's Boardwalk Preservation Fund is being eyed by Ocean City as a funding source for the Boardwalk's reconstruction. The application process, which is being managed by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, remains open until Oct. 31. “What we are doing is approving plans and some analysis of the Boardwalk in conjunction with the application we are making to the Boardwalk Preservation Fund,” City Business Administrator George Savastano explained after the Council meeting. New boards are routinely installed in areas where needed year-round. Specifically, “the city is looking to potentially widen the Boardwalk from St. James Place to 5th Street if we could get permits for that area because it is very narrow there,” Savastano noted. The city would like to see the strengthening of the Boardwalk from 12th Street to 23rd Street with state preservation funds as well, he said. Ocean City continually replaces boards and makes repairs as well as re-decking areas when needed. The state funds would help the city with the year-round work it does to maintain the Boardwalk, city officials said. While the Boardwalk is one of the gems that attract visitors to the resort, the Ocean City Music Pier is also a prime attraction. The building, which dates to 1928, is maintained by the city. But like any old structure, it needs to be kept in good shape with repairs and updates. In keeping with the theme of beautifying and maintaining the city’s showpieces, Council approved a resolution for some improvements to the Music Pier facade, Savastano said. The Ocean City Music Pier is a prime attraction on the Boardwalk and will receive some upgrades. Council approved another resolution, also with Czar Engineering, for the Music Pier's upgrades. The professional services contract totaling $18,500 is for the engineering firm to assist with contract documents, bidding and construction management. Savastano noted that this contract is for a “plan of repair of the facade, the building walls and the windows. We keep it in good shape, but we have some spots we need to address.” While there is no cost estimate yet to hire a firm to do the improvements and repairs, Savastano said Czar will be putting together estimated costs for repairs, which would come from the city’s budget for capital improvements. He added that at the next City Council meeting, the city will award a contract for work to the Music Pier’s substructure. “Next Council meeting we will award a contract. We have already gone out to bid to do repair work to the Boardwalk substructure there,” he said. “We had a structural analysis done to the Music Pier, which we do periodically, by another engineering firm and we are going to ask Council to award a contract to repair the substructure.”