By DONALD WITTKOWSKI
Sea Isle City has given its contractor the green light to begin building its $21 million community recreation center as the project finally transitions from the planning stage to actual construction.
“After years of planning, reviewing survey results, hosting public meetings, and listening to the people of Sea Isle City, I am very happy to report that the construction of our future Community Center is about to begin,” Mayor Leonard Desiderio announced in a statement Thursday.
To officially start the construction process, the city sent a “Notice to Proceed” on Wednesday to its contractor, Philadelphia-based Ernest Bock & Sons Inc. Bock & Sons won the contract by submitting the lowest bid.
Desiderio explained that all of the required paperwork has been completed, the funds are in place and Bock & Sons may start construction “right away.”
In his statement, Desiderio also revealed that the community center is expected to be completed by the fall of 2025. Previously, the city had estimated that it could take two years or more to build the project.
“We anticipate that the building will be completed in the autumn of 2025 – so obviously this is a very exciting time to be in Sea Isle City,” Desiderio said.
He noted that the city will soon announce the date for the official groundbreaking ceremony, which will take place on a Saturday to encourage a big turnout among local community members for the milestone event.
“I hope that as many people as possible will participate in the groundbreaking, because I want everyone to have the opportunity to shovel some dirt, take photos, and say: “I helped break ground for Sea Isle City’s Community Center.’” Desiderio said.
To make room for construction of the community center, the city demolished the old Sea Isle City Public School at 4501 Park Road last year.
The community center will occupy the same footprint of the old school on the block bordered by Park Road, Central Avenue, 45th Street and 46th Street.
The building’s design went through a number of iterations before the final concept was created. The design reflects the facility’s dual role as a community center and recreation facility.
There will be a large gymnasium, indoor walkway and workout space for recreation. The building will also include space that local community groups may use for meetings, events and other activities.
The facility will not include a swimming pool. During a 2019 referendum, local property owners voted overwhelmingly against including an indoor pool in the community center. The fear at that time was that a pool would make the project much more expensive for Sea Isle taxpayers.
Architectural renderings released earlier for the community center show a two-story building featuring a glossy facade overlooking Central Avenue. Sea Isle officials say the building will include attractive architecture to blend in with the rest of the neighborhood.
Bock & Sons and city officials have discussed ways to minimize disruptions on the surrounding neighborhoods during the construction work.
They have agreed that construction traffic will enter and leave the site off of Central Avenue instead of using the small side streets.
In addition, construction vehicles that park outside of the work site will not occupy parking spaces normally used by the public. This will be particularly important during the peak summer tourism season, when parking in town is at a premium, Desiderio said.
Family-owned Bock & Sons has built a diversified portfolio of public and private projects in the Philadelphia area, New Jersey and Mid-Atlantic region during its 75-year history.
Some of its notable projects include the $40 million Atlantic County criminal courthouse complex in Mays Landing, the second phase of the Montgomery County (Pa.) Justice Center and a $70 million, 19-story building at 101 Walnut Street in Philadelphia.
It also built the 227-foot-tall Ferris wheel-like attraction at the Steel Pier in Atlantic City and the Philadelphia Flyers practice facility in Voorhees, N.J.
On its website ernestbock.com/ the company says that it adds “the wow factor” in the projects it builds, including entertainment, education, housing, government and healthcare facilities for the public and private sector.
