Bon Jovi song hits wrong note

New Jersey, a state with a rich musical history, is the only state in the union without an official state song. A group of Pinelands Regional Junior High School students want to change that. They have been working with Assemblyman Brian Rumpf, R-Ocean, to make "Who Says You Can't Go Home" by New Jersey’s Bon Jovi the state song.
"Prepare for a long haul," advises Red Mascara, who has been trying to get a song he wrote, "I'm From New Jersey," designated the official state song for 47 years. The song was approved by the Assembly six times and the Senate three times. It was passed by both houses twice, but was vetoed by former Govs. Brendan Byrne in 1979 and William Cahill in 1972. Cahill, according to a 2005 piece in New Yorker magazine, reportedly remarked, "If there is one thing worse than the song 'I'm from New Jersey,' it is Red Mascara singing 'I'm from New Jersey."
Mascara's song, however, has three things going for it that Bon Jovi's doesn't: It's actually about New Jersey and it says nice things about it. There is no reference to New Jersey in Bon Jovi’s song, and its opening line is, "I spent 20 years trying to get out of this place."
Bon Jovi's fourth album was actually titled "New Jersey," but there aren't many good candidates in it for the state song. Tracks such as "Living in Sin," "Lay Your Hands on Me," "Blood on Blood," "Love for Sale" and "99 in the Shade" wouldn’t sit too well with the Legislature.
Any suggestions for a better candidate for state song? Something by Ol’ Blue Eyes or Springsteen -- other than "Born to Run," which has already been rejected by the Legislature -- or by Count Basie, maybe? How about something by the Smithereens?

Spread the word on PNC drinking crackdown

Apparently the word hasn't gotten out yet that the State Police are cracking down on underage drinking at the PNC Bank Arts Center. At Monday night's Fray concert, at least 55 arrests were made, most of them for consumption of alcohol under the legal age of 21. Most of those charged were college kids; a dozen were 17 or younger, including a 14-year-old.
The State Police and venue operator Live Nation need to do a better job informing the public that drinking by minors, in the parking lots and in the venue itself, won't be tolerated. The most obvious places to deliver the message would be the home page of the PNC Bank Arts Center/Live Nation Web site and the Venue Information portion of the Ticketmaster Web site - the places most concertogers purchase their tickets.
Public service announcements also should be made on radio stations catering to young audiences and on message boards on the Garden State Parkway leading to the venue, from both directions.

No place to park in Asbury Park

I knew it would eventually come to this. I knew that the days when I could always find a parking space on Ocean Avenue in Asbury Park - free parking, no less - would eventually come to end when the beachfront started to revive. This summer, it has become increasingly difficult to find a convenient space. On Saturday, when the town was packed for the School of Rock Music Festival, it was next to impossible to find ANY space. After circling three times, my soon-to-be-4-year-old son, whose favorite beach town is Asbury Park, said, "Daddy let's go to Ocean Grove." And that's what we did. As it was late in the day, we had no trouble finding a spot on Ocean Avenue there.
Clearly, parking is a major challenge in Asbury Park - one that will become increasingly worse as redevelopment continues. Parking was not adequately addressed in the redevelopment plan. It will be a major issue when Madison Marquette and Asbury Partners go before the City Council with proposed amendments.

Call in chits with committee chairs

Two New Jersey congressmen, Democrats Frank Pallone Jr. and Rush Holt, have finally responded to the rigged BRAC process that led to the decision to shut down Fort Monmouth by calling for an investigation by the federal Government Accountability Office. It's absolutely essential that the GAO investigation proceed. If it does, it could blow the lid off Washington.
There is no guarantee the GAO will agree to the investigation. The same powerful forces that were responsible for the decision to shutter more than 30 major military bases - allegedly to reduce military spending and excess base capacity - will be at work trying to block a GAO inquiry.
The GAO gives lowest priority to requests from individual members of Congress. The likelihood of the request being granted improves considerably if it comes from a committee chairman or ranking committee member with jurisdiction over the subject area of the requested probe.
In this case, appropriate candidates would include the chairmen of the House and Senate Armed Services (Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., and Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Mo.), the Senate budget committee (Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D.) and the House Ways and Means Committee (Charles Rangel, D-N.Y.) New Jersey lawmakers and Gov., and former Sen., Corzine should be putting the arm on all of them. And citizens disgusted by the manner in which the BRAC process was conducted, and the adverse impact it could have on our military and the economies of regions hosting bases due to be closed should contact them as well, urging them to support a GAO investigation.

Bad form by Christopher Christie

I was stunned to read U.S. Attorney General Christopher Christie's comments criticizing the state's political leadership in response to attempts by two state senators to block the nomination of Attorney General Stuart Rabner as chief justice of the state Supreme Court.
Speaking before a group of law enforcement officers Wednesday, Christie said Rabner was a victim "of the latest example of the pettiness and the cowardice and dirt of Trenton...This is the typical pettiness and garbage."
Christie not only attacked the state senators who were using senatorial courtesy to block the nomination, but Gov. Corzine, who nominated Rabner, and Sen. John Adler, D-Camden, who is chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. He criticized Corzine for not immediately coming to Rabner's defense and called Adler "a third rank bureaucrat" for saying he wouldn't hold a confirmation hearing without approval from Sen. Nia Gill, D-Essex, one of two senators blocking the nomination. The other, Ronald Rice, D-Essex, has since withdrawn his opposition.
I agree with much of what Christie said. Rabner served as a corruption-busting federal prosecutor under Christie before he left to join the Corzine administration, first as his chief counsel and later as his attorney general. He was Christie's boy, and he has always gone to bat for him.
But it was totally inappropriate for Christie, a Republican appointee of President Bush, to take partisan jabs, particularly before an audience of law enforcement officers.

Inhumanity of bomb scare scary

In this business, you would think it would be easy to grow immune to man's inhumanity to man. It isn't. Mothers killing their own children. Teens mindlessly getting behind the wheel drunk, killing others. The seemingly endless bullying of the weak by the strong.
But the story, and photos, in today's paper about the bomb scare at a Lakewood nursing home/assisted living facility, which led to the evacuation of 330 residents in the rain, is the ultimate in man's seemingly limitless capacity for inflicting pain on the most vulnerable.
If there was any good news to be gleaned from this story, other than the efficient and compassionate response from nursing home employees, emergency personnel and others, it was the fact that the person responsible for calling in the bomb scare, if caught, could face a 25-year jail term if found guilty of a first-degree offense. Someone can be charged with a first-degree crime if the bomb scare results in someone getting hurt or killed. Fortunately, no one died in Lakewood. But one person fell, another had a panic attack and a third had a possible minor stroke while being evacuated. Who knows if there will be any long-term ramifications. It also was encouraging to read that the county Prosecutor's Office said it had several leads. It needs to find out who did this.

Answers to Madison Marquette questions, Part 2

The Asbury Park Press editorial board had a two-hour meeting Monday with the redevelopment partners of the Asbury Park oceanfront - Gary Mottola of Madison Marquette, Hugh Lamle of M.D. Sass and Larry Fishman of Asbury Partners. The news story about the meeting, written by staff writer Nancy Shields, appeared in Tuesday's paper. The editorial board's overall impression of their future plans will appear in a forthcoming editorial.
I tried to get answers to as many of the reader-submitted questions as possible. I answered several of them in yesterday's blog. Here are the rest of them:

What is the nature of the relationship between Madison Marquette and Asbury Partners? Lamle emphasized that under the terms of an agreement reached Monday, Asbury Partners and Madison Marquette are full partners in the entire redevelopment effort- residential and retail/entertainment. Mottola is the managing partner but Asbury Partners has approval power over plans and budgets. He gave no indication that the arrangement was anything but long term.

At a recent Chamber of Commerce meeting where Mottola spoke, he indicated that the green spaces along the boardwalk needed to be "activated." In the past these spaces were either mini-golf or rides. What does MM envision. Mottola said that in lieu of a specific amusement zone, the rides will be interspersed in the green spaces. He said they were considering a "signature" observation tower with a water slide. A Ferris wheel and carousel also were possibilities. Renowned New York architect David Rockwell, best known for his restaurant and theatre set designs - he also designed the Nokia Theater in Manhattan - has begun working on detailed renderings for the boardwalk and its six pavilions.

At the same Chamber meeting, Mottola seemed frustrated about the current school situation and the fact Asbury Park is an Abbott district. "Then you stopped, other than to say it has to be fixed. Care to comment further?" Mottola said he wasn't familiar enough with the school system to offer any suggestions. But he noted that a town in which MM has been active - Emoryville, Calif., near San Francisco - that faced similar problems in the schools turned things around, thanks in large measure to a dynamic school superintendent and an engaged community.

Also, at the Chamber meeting, Mottola indicated the original plan for the Wesley Grove entertainment district wasn't that good. "Do you envision a bigger entertainment district, with the Casino, Wesley Lake and the land north? Do you have a hotel ready to go in?" This is one area where significant changes will be sought to the master plan. The most significant will be plans for a 20-plus story hotel/condo complex. No separate entertainment/amusement area is planned for west and north of the Casino.

How about reopening the public bath/locker rooms at Fourth Avenue and the tunnel to the beach? Mottola said there will be public beaches but he didn't commit to the locations or to a tunnel.

Is 2010 a real target date for the Casino? Yes, according to Mottola.

What is MM's time frame for developing 50 percent, 75 and 100 percent of the plan.
No one wanted to be pinned down specifically on the time frames, other than the 2010 date for the Casino, the June 28 opening of the Paramount and completion of the second floor of the Fifth Avenue pavilion by September. He said the Tiki Bar at the Convention Hall also might reopen later this summer.

How much is MM putting in of MM's money, and how much has MM secured from third parties. What type of return is MM anticipating. Mottola and Lamle would not answer.

Has there been any further discussion about the possibility of making access to the beach free? Mottola said that was a decision that would be made by the city after analyzing whether the lost beach tag revenue would be more than offset by any increased economic activity attributable to a larger number of patrons.

Can individuals invest in the redevelopment. Is it a REIT? No and no.

The parking meters have been removed from Ocean Avenue. Will new meters be installed? Will there be meters on the streets perpendicular to Ocean Avenue? Mottola said it's understanding new "European-style" meters will be installed on Ocean Avenue and on nearby streets.

Does Madison Marquette (perhaps working with the UEZ) have any plans for an "inviting" makeover of the west-to-east traffic corridors that lead to the public beachfront, particularly Asbury Avenue. While Mottola said it would be nice to do so, it wasn't within his purview.

Given Asbury Park's long musical history, would you consider having the New Jersey Music Hall of Fame play a role in your redevelopment? Fishman and Mottola said serious thought was being given to the idea, and that a music museum of some type was being incorporated into their planning.

"Will Madison Marquette limit its activities to the oceanfront? I'm thinking specifically of Springwood Avenue. See the Madonna Carter Jackson book, 'West Side Story.' That street was just as happening as Ocean Avenue back in the day, and a group like MM could maybe help bring that back." Mottola noted that the partners only had control over the redevelopment area.

What was the thinking behind the traffic striping on the repaved Ocean Avenue? (Two solid stripes create three lanes, one of which - the one closest to the angle parking on the east side - is narrower than the other two.) Mottola said he didn't like the current striping, and would like to see Ocean Avenue set up the same way as most towns south of Asbury: two lanes, one in each direction, with angle parking on both sides of the street.

Are there any plans for a pier at any point along the beachfront? Mottola said he thought it would be possible to get approval for one, but it ranks low on his priority list.

Asbury Park (and the shore in general) has long been home to a glut of rock music clubs fighting for the same audience. Will Madison Marquette diversify the market by opening clubs that cater to different genres (R&B, house, reggae, jazz, etc.) Mottola: "We hope so." But he said it will be driven largely by demand.

What are the specific plans for the pavilion north of Convention Hall? Possibly a beach club with spa services.

Answers to Madison Marquette questions, Part 1

The Asbury Park Press editorial board had a two-hour meeting Monday with the redevelopment partners of the Asbury Park oceanfront - Gary Mottola of Madison Marquette, Hugh Lamle of M.D. Sass and Larry Fishman of Asbury Partners. The news story about the meeting, written by staff writer Nancy Shields, appeared in today's paper. The editorial board's overall impression of their future plans will appear in a forthcoming editorial.
I tried to get answers to as many of the reader-submitted questions as possible. Some of them are answered in today's blog; I'll answer the rest tomorrow:

Will the actual boardwalk be renovated in any fashion? (A previous rendering by architect David Rockwell showed it with a curvilinear shape.) No, the basic footprint of the boardwalk will remain. Mottola left the door open for possible future reconfigurations, but said any significant alterations were unlikely.

Is MM aware of the historic significance and commercial potential (free summer concerts and open windows bringing pedestrians to vendors in the arcade) of the Kilgen pipe organ in Convention Hall? And what steps are the company taking to help restore the organ and put it back to full-time use?
Mottola and Lamle seemed unfamiliar with it. Fishman said the organ was not an original, that it hadn't worked for many years, and he seemed doubtful that it could be put back into working order.

What exactly is the plan for the Casino? They are talking about having a public market, patterned after the one in Union Square in New York City, on the first floor, and a second floor that might include music venues. Projected completion date: 2010.

Will the carousel return to the Carousel House? No, but there may be a carousel in one of the green areas between the pavilions.

Will the boardwalk/casino arcade be reconnected to Ocean Grove's boardwalk? Yes, Will MM work with Ocean Grove on projects that could be mutually beneficial to both towns? Yes

Will MM consider having an influential media outlet to host an annual Memorial Day beach party and concert, as WNEW once did? Yes. Mottola said he would like to have about three such "signature events" each season.

Is Madison Marquette in a position to either restore former hotels like the Metropolitan or build new ones in order to attract both vacationers and small conventions that could fill Convention Hall? Only one hotel is planned - a 20-story-plus hotel/condo tower next to the casino. The tower, which Mottola says would be "iconic," would be subject to approval from the city. Currently, the redevelopment plan allows a maximum eight-story hotel there. Lamle said other investors in in-fill areas and outside the redevelopment zone may want to invest in motels and hotels once the redevelopment takes off. He also said there is potential for turning many of the Victorian homes in town into bed and breakfasts.

Asbury Park is woefully short on parking, particularly on the south side of town. How will MM address that as more retail and entertainment outlets open up? It wants to add an additional 1,000 parking spaces, something that will require amending the existing redevelopment plan. The partners say they will seek permission from the city to increase condo height restrictions to accommodate parking on lower levels.

Will there be bathing pavilions with changing lockers (and possibly a freshwater pool?) Yes to bathing pavilions and changing lockers. No to plans for a freshwater pool.

Please address the rumors of moving the Stone Pony into the Casino. No specific plans, other than keeping the Stony Pony on the oceanfront.

What provisions are MM making to ensure that retail jobs will go to qualified Asbury Park residents. Mottola said they will make a strong effort to provide jobs for the local population, but he did not elaborate.

Will MM be following the original redevelopment plan or is it seeking to make changes to it? Major changes will be sought, and soon. Foremost among them: amendments to allow increase building heights to accommodate more parking in condo buildings and use/height changes in Casino/Wesley Lake area.

Failing grade for eminent domain abuse

Not surprisingly, the Washington-based Institute for Justice has given New Jersey an "F" in its 2007 report card on the use of eminent domain. "New Jersey is one of the nation’s worst eminent domain abusers and is one of the states with the most work to do in the legislature," the report concluded.
It noted that in the two years since the U.S. Supreme Court's Kelo decision, which allowed the use of eminent domain for private economic development, 41 states have passed laws designed to provide greater protection to property owners. New Jersey isn't one of them.
Most of the opposition in Trenton to bills designed to curb eminent domain abuse has come from urban mayors, who argue that proposed reforms would make it impossible for them to redevelop their cities. That's nonsense. The Institute for Justice points to Anaheim, Calif., as an example of a city that was able to transform itself without resorting to the taking of private property. Anaheim is featured in an Institute for Justice publication titled "Development Without Eminent Domain." It's well worth a read.
New Jersey was one of nine states to receive an "F" on the Institute's report card. Joining it were New York, Connecticut, Maryland, Rhode Island and Massachusetts, among others.
The states that received an A or A-minus were Florida, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota and South Dakota.
The Institute for Justice is helping homeowners in Long Branch fight eminent domain abuse.

Any questions for Asbury Park retail redeveloper?

Gary Mottola, managing director for Madison Marquette, the company that is handling Asbury Park's beachfront retail redevelopment, will be meeting with the Asbury Park Press editorial board next Monday, June 11. We are hoping he will provide us with a more specific blueprint for what is planned for the Casino, the retail area adjacent to it, the pavilions and the retail on the west side of Ocean Avenue.
Do you have any questions you would like us to ask him? Post them here, on my blog, or e-mail them to me at rbergmann@app.com.