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.
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.
posted by Randy Bergmann at 11:42 AM
1 Comments:
He seriously needs to reconsider his stance on the Carousel.
Why would you NOT put a carousel in a carousel house?
No possible financial or structural advantage.
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