The federal government has announced $3.6 million in funding for Oceanport to rebuild the vacated municipal complex, which was damaged during superstorm Sandy. The Oceanport Borough Council will soon narrow its focus on where to build a new municipal complex after being awarded $3.69 million from the federal government.
Oceanport Mayor Michael Mahon said in an interview last week that the funding package announced on June 25 by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) would allow the council, other professionals and residents to make a final decision on a replacement Borough Hall.
“It is definitely time to get to work,” he said. “We’ve been brainstorming about it for the past several months, and that’s kind of become more focused in the last several weeks as we knew the award amount was being finalized.”
In May, Business Administrator John O. Bennett III presented the council with six options, including rebuilding on the existing Monmouth Boulevard site; building a new complex at any of several sites; or acquiring a building on Fort Monmouth.
Mahon said that with the funding package in place the borough has discussed setting up subcommittees composed of residents and borough employees to gather input and narrow down choices.
“We are in the midst of scheduling the initial site selection committee to meet with the architect during the first week of July,” Mahon said. “There will be updates, but the first thing we have to do is understand what it is that we have to work with and understand what the options are.
“There is going to be public involvement with the community as a whole, and we are hoping to take advantage of residents’ technical and professional backgrounds. We asked them to volunteer with a technical review committee that will assist us with reviewing specifications and bid documents.”
He said the committees would examine square footage requirements, budgets and financing options. The municipal complex, which sustained damage during superstorm Sandy, was deemed “substantially damaged” by engineers in January, and offices were moved to Old Wharf House on E. Main Street.
A draft report on structural conditions found the cost to repair Borough Hall would be more than 50 percent of the building’s pre-storm value.
The FEMA funding comes in the form of a reimbursement, which means the Borough Council will have to bond to construct the new building and pay off the debt using the reimbursement funds
“We are going to need to put a capital spending plan in place to finance the entirety of the project,” Mahon said. “The wheels are already turning on that. We’ve laid out the different committees that will be working on that.”
The funding will cover the costs for demolition and disposal of the 8,358-square-foot building and the construction of a new concrete block building. Built to current codes and standards, the building will include steel roof joists on an elevated pile foundation of 7 feet to meet FEMA elevation requirements, according to a press release from Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-6).
According to Mahon, the council is considering all options, including rebuilding at the current site.
“There are several negatives to building in place. We’d be spending this money and still be putting ourselves in a situation we could be flooded,” he said.
“There are a couple of other sites around the borough that would be out of the flood zone, that would present good opportunities for a new municipal building as well as a potential site within Fort Monmouth.”
Mahon said now that a funding amount has been finalized, he expects the process to move along more quickly.
“We are looking at different opportunities. We set several wheels in motion over the past several months … and you’ll see us pick up the pace pretty quickly,” he said.
During the superstorm, an estimated 4 feet of water swept through the former Borough Hall meeting room, while up to 18 inches of water flooded the rest of the complex at 222 Monmouth Blvd., which was built in 1965. The council has been meeting at Maple Place Elementary School.
Mahon said there would be consistent updates to the public and council during future council meetings. The next Borough Council meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. July 15 at Maple Place Elementary School.