Contract Awarded for Demolition of Homes Devastated by Sandy

With a multimillion dollar contract in place, Toms River is gearing up to remove homes damaged beyond repair by Superstorm Sandy. 

Over 250 homes in Toms River were so badly damaged by the storm that they require demolition. The $6,674,520 contract awarded to Hudson Valley Environmental Tuesday by the Township Council will move that process forward. 

"The demolition program is going to go a long way to clean up some of the debris and homes on Ortley Beach that were damaged," said council President George Wittmann. 

Toms River worked out a plan with FEMA to demolish those structures at no cost to the owner as residents continue to struggle financially with Sandy's impact. A FEMA reimbursement of between 75 and 90 percent of the township's cost for the project is expected. 

"The idea is to get as many homes removed before the start of the summer season and to remove debris from sites as it presents a hazard to the public," Wittmann said in a March column describing Sandy recovery efforts.

Bids for the demolition project went out at the council's meeting in early-February. Plans for the demolition project got underway as last year came to a close, according to Council Vice President Maria Maruca. 

"I'm very happy to see it [on the Township Council agenda]. This is really going to start to get Ortley Beach back again," she said.

Most of the properties that need to be demolished are in Ortley Beach, though there are some in North Beach and in mainland areas, according to the council.

Wittmann called the demolition program "an important step" in the recovery of the barrier island, though he noted that not all of the badly damaged homes that applied for the program will qualify. 

"If they do qualify, we'll get the contractor out there and mobilized and start removing homes as quickly as possible," he said. 

The council also approved a $290,413 contract with Earle Aspalt Company  — funds reimbursable by FEMA — to reconstruct the Third Avenue parking lot. That area of beach, along with a portion of Ortley's boardwalk, is expected to be open this summer, officials have said.