BRADLEY BEACH — On Dec. 13, residents gathered in Borough Hall as municipal clerk Erica Kostyz read aloud the bids received for the demolition of the highly contested 319 LaReine Avenue church property.
Of the eight bids received by the borough to handle the demolition of the century old church, Greg Lertch Demolition and Excavating LLC submitted the lowest bid to handle the demolition at $348,500.
The highest bid submitted to the borough for the demolition was by ADP Group Inc., from Paterson, for the amount of $845,950.
A resolution to award the demolition bid was on the table at a special council meeting that was held on Dec. 23 at 5 p.m., however, there was no quorum and therefore no action was taken.
According to Mayor Larry Fox, the borough has 60 days from Dec. 13 to award a bid. Fox has attempted to schedule meetings to resolve this before he leaves office at the end of the year, however, members of the council have made it clear that the final special meeting, scheduled for Dec. 30, may not have a quorum to award the demolition bid.
In September, the borough council elected to seek an outside professional to conduct the demolition of the century old church. After purchasing the church in 2020, the property has been highly contested among the borough council and a score of residents, some of whom created an initiative to save the unique building.
After two years of owning the property, the borough conducted a town-wide referendum, in 2022, in which 76.7% of residents voted against the renovation of the church into a community center for the price of $10 million.
This November, the Land Use Board unanimously approved a subdivision application taking a long-awaited step towards dispersing of the property. Once demolished, the property will be divided into four conforming lots for single family dwellings.
The council’s reorganization meeting is scheduled for Jan. 1 at noon in the Bradley Beach Borough Hall.
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