OCEAN CITY – Proposals for the renovation and remodel of a second museum location will be reviewed following bid openings this week.
In a Mayor and Council meeting Tuesday, four bids were opened for the renovation and remodel of the former Bank of Ocean City building at the corner of Dorchester Street and South Baltimore Avenue. With a budget of $550,000, bids ranged from $894,082 to $1,232,880.
“I make a motion that we acknowledge the bids and remand them to staff for further evaluation,” said Councilman Will Savage.
In December 2019, the Bank of Ocean City closed its downtown branch. But instead of selling the property, it was donated to the Town of Ocean City for the use of the Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum. Since that time, city officials have worked with museum staff to secure grant funding and complete design work for the development of a second museum location.
In a presentation this spring, City Engineer Paul Mauser told the council the town had secured $625,000 in grant funds and private donations for the project. And at that time, the town had spent more than $38,000 on demolition work and more than $40,000 on design. Construction costs are estimated at $550,000.
“If you do the math, we’re currently $4,000 over budget on a $625,000 project,” he said in April. “So we’re going to leave the project as is. I feel confident that with competitive bidding we will try to price down. If not, we’re going to bid it as line items, where we can remove line items as necessary to meet the budget.”
In May, the town began soliciting bids for construction. And on Tuesday, submissions were opened in front of the Mayor and Council. Oak Contracting submitted a base bid of $849,082, Wayland Company submitted a base bid of $1,022,000, Delmarva Veteran Builders submitted a base bid of $1,148,000, and Harkins Contracting submitted a base bid of $1,232,880.
With no discussion, the council voted 7-0, to acknowledge the four bids and remand them to staff for further review.
Curator Christine Okerblom told officials earlier this year the museum plans to use the former bank building as a second location. With limited space at its Inlet facility, she said the second location will allow for more exhibits and programs, among other things. Officials say plans call for a complete restoration of the building’s exterior, bringing the structure back to its 1914 design. On the inside, both the first and second floors will be remodeled to include new HVAC, plumbing, electrical, flooring and paint.
Officials this week also opened bids for golf cart leasing at Eagle’s Landing. Submissions were also remanded to staff for review.
