BY VINCENT TODARO
Staff Writer
EAST BRUNSWICK – The township may have to wait a little bit longer for its new arts center and theater.
The Township Council last week rejected a set of bids for construction of the community arts center, which will replace the former Playhouse 22. The bids for the proposed arts center, to be located at Heavenly Farms, Dunhams Corner Road, came in higher than what officials hoped would be the cost for the basic elements of the new building.
In 2004, the township sold the former Playhouse 22 site, also on Dunhams Corner Road, to a developer for roughly $1.2 million, and Mayor William Neary earmarked those funds for the community arts center, also referred to as a multiuse facility.
Despite having several bidders, the township is finding out its estimates may have been a little off, even though architectural firm Venezia and Associates revised its initial plans to lower the cost.
“The number still came back a little high,” said Councilman David Stahl.
Further, the numbers do not take into account costs that go beyond basic construction, Stahl said. Features such as interior walls and finish work are not included in the price, he said. What is included are the shell of the building, HVAC, plumbing, electrical work and other basic features.
“Even the bid specs that went out do not include all the costs needed to complete the building,” Stahl said.
Near the beginning of 2007, the township’s estimate showed the construction would cost more than $2 million. Stahl said Venezia revised that original plan and the new version went out to bid, but the numbers still came back too high.
Township Finance Director L. Mason Neely has said he feels he can get those bid prices substantially lower, and have the bidders reconsider their prices.
The community arts center would include a 195-seat auditorium for use by the East Brunswick Community Players and other township groups, as well as meeting rooms. The plans also call for an outdoor amphitheater.
Playhouse 22, which had 150 seats, was used as a community theater for 21 years until it closed in October 2005.