After months of planning, machinery from a century-old horse elevator, possibly one of its kind in the state, is to be removed from the former Hunts livery stable on 22 Union Ave. and brought to the Meadowlands Museum. The elevator will make up part of a larger exhibit on how early forms of transportation affected the borough's history.
The mayor and council resolved to award the contract to American Steel Erectors, an Irvington-based company that, at $7,000, was the lowest of the three bids received by the borough. The other two were $8,538 and $11,700.
The borough's call for bids began last September. Two bids were received at the council's Dec. 18 meeting. Former councilman Richard Reyes and former borough engineer Ralph Tango of CMX recommended the borough proceed with either of the two bids received.
However, with the change in administration in January, the matter wasn't acted upon again until February, by which time the bids the town had received had passed a deadline and needed to be re-confirmed. The borough also had new borough engineer Berge Tombalakian of Boswell McClave solicit a third bid.
Tombalakian ended up recommending one of the earlier two bidders, who agreed they could still perform the project at the previously stated price.
The contractor's price, $7,000, plus the engineering fees incurred by Boswell McClave in soliciting and choosing the bid, $1,560, are to be paid for out of a Historical Preservation Commission fund established for this purpose, according to Rutherford chief financial officer Ed Cortright. Commission President Rod Leith said that CMX agreed to waive its engineering fees last year. Money for the project is coming from funds received as part of the mitigation for the cell tower at police headquarters and from the sale of the commission's annual holiday ornaments.
Leith said that now that a bid has been chosen, the plan is to act quickly.
"The committee and the museum would like to see this done in the next 60 days because of our commitment to the owner of the [22 Union Ave.] to get it done as soon as possible," said Leith.
The building, formerly owned by Victor DeLucia, now belongs to David Plarre, DeLucia's nephew. Last year Leith and several shop owners at the current site had heard rumors that the property was slated to be sold.
