Cape May County officials celebrate the start of construction with a traditional groundbreaking ceremony. (Photos courtesy of Cape May County Facebook page)
Cape May County has started construction on a new $21.5 million justice complex that will centralize the prosecutor’s office and critical public safety services.
County officials celebrated the project Wednesday with a traditional groundbreaking ceremony that included tossing shovelfuls of dirt into the air at the construction site in the Crest Haven government complex in Cape May Court House.
The project includes the demolition of outdated facilities, construction of a new 37,000-square-foot building, renovations to existing facilities totaling 9,600 square feet of space and extensive landscaping.
Construction will also include site improvements to create what the county called “a secure, efficient, and professional campus for law enforcement and public safety professionals.”
“Investing wisely in public safety infrastructure is essential to the wellbeing of our communities and ensures that we have the capacity, security, and technology to meet the ever-changing challenges facing law enforcement. Serving as the liaison to the Prosecutors Office, I am both proud and excited to see this project moving forward,” County Commissioner Melanie Collette said in a news release.
The future complex will centralize the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office operations and provide greater efficiencies. Additionally, the complex will include new barracks for the county’s Public Safety Academy, capable of accommodating 108 cadets with room to expand.
An architectural rendering on the sign depicts the project.The new complex is designed to provide modern workspaces, enhanced security and privacy features, energy efficient utility upgrades, and cutting-edge technology to support investigative, prosecutorial and training operations, according to the release.
“Today we move forward with building a facility that meets the needs of our dedicated public safety personnel and strengthens the county’s ability to serve and protect our residents, but also, to do so without borrowing funds shows the strong fiscal stewardship of our county government,” County Commission Director Leonard Desiderio said.
Philadelphia-based Ernest Bock & Sons Inc. was awarded the general contract for the project, which is expected to be completed in 2027.
Bock & Sons has built a diversified portfolio of public and private projects in the Philadelphia area, New Jersey and Mid-Atlantic region during its 75-year history
Currently, the company is building Sea Isle City’s $21 million community recreation center scheduled to open this fall. Some of its notable projects include the $40 million Atlantic County criminal courthouse complex in Mays Landing, the 227-foot-tall Ferris wheel-like attraction at the Steel Pier in Atlantic City and the Philadelphia Flyers practice facility in Voorhees, N.J.
