Second floor planned for new animal shelter Twp. reviewing $650K bid to renovate Sewaren building, add story BY KATHY CHANG Staff Writer Woodbridge Township is planning to expand the public animal shelter, expected to be up and running by the end of the year, by adding a second floor. "The second floor is going to be retrofitted to help neighboring towns such as Carteret and Perth Amboy that have expressed interest in using our facility," said Mayor John E. McCormac at the council meeting on July 27. Township officials said the $650,500 bid by Dell Tech Construction in Hamilton was higher than the preliminary estimated cost, which ranged from $437,500 to $450,000; however, that cost did not include the addition of the second floor. John Hagerty, the township's director of communications, added that the second floor would not be limited to interlocal agreements. "It's additional kennel space to house the animals," he said. "There is $669,000 left over in the allocated budget [for the animal shelter]." Hagerty said Michael Testa, the township's architect for the animal shelter, would review the bid to determine that the company complies with all aspects of the bid and then report back to the township in approximately two weeks. "Then we will decide to award the contract for the new site," he said. Mayor John E. McCormac and township officials announced on June 12 that a modern and fully equipped animal shelter and pet adoption center would be situated in a township-owned building in Sewaren and that the state-of-the-art facility would provide a safe and comfortable haven for the care and housing of abandoned animals. The 2,500-square-foot facility provides a solid foundation and structure for the construction of the animal shelter and would be fully renovated to provide clean, comfortable and humane conditions for dogs, cats and other animals that require care and housing. The building would be renovated using available energy-saving and environmentally friendly materials and concepts. Township officials also said the facility would meet or exceed state and health department regulations. The construction plans include installation of 17 individual dog kennels with extended indoor/outdoor runs; an oversized area for cats that will have individual cages for each feline; separate, fully ventilated dog and cat quarantine areas; a private animal receiving area equipped with cleaning facilities, and a prep room where the incoming animals would be examined prior to housing. The shelter will house a private veterinary-care clinic where animals would be examined and treated, and a laundry for cleaning blankets and kennel wraps. A special feature is the inclusion of a large, public area where families can greet and interact with pets prior to adoption. For the past five years, residents have been waiting for a public animal shelter to replace the temporary one many said was not adequate. In September 2006, bids had gone out to build a state-of-the-art animal shelter behind the township health center; however, the bids came in too high. The lowest bid received in September 2006 was $1.046 million. The highest bid was $1.2 million, officials said. Township officials in 2004 estimated that constructing a new shelter would cost $350,000, and later, after extensive, in-depth research, decided to allocate approximately $750,000 for the animal shelter, which officials have said would include 18 dog runs, 40 to 50 spaces for cats, temporary cages and storage facilities. For a short time, township officials debated renting the basement of the former Adath Israel Synagogue; however, a public uproar quashed discussions of renovating that space, despite officials calling it the best idea at the time. A $22,000 contract was awarded to Testa, of Manalapan, on April 10 to conduct a feasibility study of various vacant buildings in the township to house the shelter. Testa prepared a feasibility report and provided preliminary architectural construction blueprints of the Sewaren facility. The current 30-by-40-foot shelter houses cats and dogs in close quarters with one another. In addition to the Sewaren facility, the township has also paid $38,100 a year to house four dogs and 15 cats in a 10-by-15-foot space in the office of Iselin veterinarian Ira Niedweski for more than four years. The township also spends an additional $12,000 a year on medical treatment for the animals.