By DONALD WITTKOWSKI
The Ocean City Community Center, a multifaceted municipal complex that serves hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, is getting a new heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system that will cost nearly $800,000.
“The existing HVAC system reached the end of its useful life. This is a routine replacement of aging equipment,” city spokesman Doug Bergen said in an email Friday.
City Council has awarded a $769,600 contract to Falasca Mechanical Inc. of Vineland for the project. Work is expected to be completed by the summer, Bergen said.
The city will save money in the long run by having a modern heating and air-conditioning system, Bergen explained.
“All new systems are more efficient, and the city will realize savings in operating expenses,” he said.
The new HVAC system will serve the entire Community Center complex, which includes the city’s Free Public Library, the Historical Museum, the Arts Center, the Aquatic and Fitness Center and the Seniors Center.
Bergen noted that the Community Center accommodates hundreds of thousands of visits each year, making it one of the city’s most popular and heavily used public buildings.
The Community Center, located at 1735 Simpson Ave., was constructed in the late 1970s and underwent major expansions completed in 1990 and 2010.
In what will be the next major project, the library has plans for a $1.3 million renovation to expand and enhance the second floor.
The library improvements will consist of an expansion of the young adults section, new furnishings, brighter lighting and more quiet space for study time as well as a “maker space” for do-it-yourself types of projects.
Library officials are seeking matching state grants to help finance the project before beginning construction.
