Third strike for revitalization

For the third time, a request for bids on Hightstown’s downtown revitalization project has been unsuccessful. A single bid ($500,000 over budget) was rejected this week.

By: Scott Morgan
   HIGHTSTOWN — The borough again has rejected the only construction bid for its downtown revitalization project.
   At the urging of Borough Engineer Carmela Santaniello, the Borough Council voted during its Tuesday meeting to reject a bid by Lucas Brothers of Morganville for $1.98 million.
   This past round of advertisements for bids was the third for the borough. The first round brought in no bids, while the second brought in just one, also from Lucas Brothers. That bid, for $2.46 million, exceeded the borough’s estimate by nearly $1 million.
   After the second round of bids the borough, in agreement with the state Department of Transportation, removed an estimated $746,000 worth of requirements for nighttime work and concrete joint repair from the construction specifications before advertising a third time.
   The Borough Council was openly surprised at the dearth of bids it has received for the project, but Councilman Bob Patten and Ms. Santaniello quickly pointed out that Hightstown is not unique in its plight. Neighboring municipalities, such as Washington Township, have received few bids for construction projects recently as well, and many of the bids neighbors have received are abnormally high.
   Mr. Patten said, "We are being hit with things that are beyond our control," while Ms. Santaniello said the lack of bidders for a project of such size is very unusual.
   Ms. Santaniello believes the combination of few bids at very high prices is the product of the current construction climate. She said there is so much construction and so many bids in the area that contractors can, at least for now, pick and choose, effectively naming their prices. She did, however, say she expects the situation to change soon.
   Now that the borough has advertised thrice and received only two unsatisfactory bids, it will move into direct negotiations with contractors. Ms. Santaniello said the next step is to figure out how to make the project affordable for the borough. She said the borough will speak with Lucas Brothers, as well as Little Rascals Concrete and J. Fletcher Creamer and Son Inc.
   Ms. Santaniello said she would prefer to work with Creamer and Son, which she said did an outstanding job on a water main project for the borough this past summer. So far, however, the company has shown no interest in the revitalization project.
   The revitalization project will include devices designed to beautify the downtown area, slow traffic flow and make the region easier to navigate for pedestrians. Officials hope the design changes will spur economic redevelopment.
   Plans call for brick to be laid between new curbs and sidewalks and for all crosswalks to feature "streetscape" designed to look like brick. Decorative lightposts and benches will be added in spots and the width of Franklin Street will be reduced by more than 2 feet in some areas to allow for the widening of sidewalks.