Lawsuit causes judge to pause Wildwood boardwalk rehab project

WILDWOOD, N.J. - A multi-million dollar boardwalk remodeling project in Wildwood was abruptly stopped by a judge Tuesday night amid an ongoing legal battle.

The project planned to facelift a five block stretch of boardwalks beaten up by massive summer crowds who swarmed the Jersey shore during the summer months.

The project was supposed to be done over the winter when the shore town sees little foot traffic, but now locals are worried it might not be ready for next summer.

"They can't walk the boardwalk, they can't come here, how many kids are going to walk the street to come here, it's going to effect a lot," Amanda Fanconi of Fanconi's Pizza.

A Cape May judge ordered work on the boardwalk to be stopped after a lawsuit was filed by a competing contractor in the bidding process. Attorney John Pallidino said delaying the project is necessary to "getting the project done by the appropriate bidder."

L. Feriozzi Concrete, an Atlantic City-based company, filed a 130-page lawsuit against the City of Wildwood and the contractor Fred M. Schiavone Construction who won the bid to do the boardwalk project. The company alleges Schiavone failed to name a structural steel subcontractor as required by law and shouldn't have been awarded the job. 

"The low bidder here did not name a structural steel subcontract and there is absolutely involved, so under the law we believe their bid had to be rejected," Pallidino said.

Both Wildwood and Schiavone declined to comment on the matter until after a hearing that could decide the fate of the project. Meanwhile, business owners who rely on boardwalk tourism are eager for work to start again soon. 

The lawsuit will be presented in front of a Cape May County judge Wednesday morning.