The entrance to Ocean Grove at the intersection of Rt 71 and Main Avenue. The first impression. Blogfinger photo. May 16, 2014. Click on the image to get a good look.
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger
Do you know of any town that people commonly call “beautiful” which has an entrance like this one that looks like the on-ramp for a route 1-9 truck route? Can you imagine Spring Lake allowing the use of their town’s entrance as a bill board jungle?
Our schlocky entrance at Main Avenue is in stark contrast to our Broadway entrance, which looks great.
This crummy-looking area contains a billboard for a baseball game in June; the pink-o-rama “paint the town pink” and renaming our town “Pink Grove” banners and bows which are a triumph of symbolism over substance; an ad for Meridian; an ugly olive banner that champions a politically-correct art event for women only; and the “arts center” signs that promote everything from A to Z. And the backdrop is the lovely backside of old Neptune High, the former home of the Scarlet Fliers whose current beautiful campus on Neptune Boulevard is devoid of public advertising. Finally, in the right lower corner is something that looks like a giant gray tombstone. (Will we have a cemetery there next?)
You won’t find anything like this in front of the Municipal Building (or at its rear end either) or at the Marina area at Shark River ; and let’s be sure to check the entrances to other residential areas in Neptune Township to see if the town fathers and mother permitted similar commercialization there.
This ugliness is the first impression that visitors to our town see. It’s not good for morale or property values in Ocean Grove. It sends a message that suggests a certain bleakness in the Grove which belies the truth of our town.
Why isn’t the Homeowners Association making a fuss about this? One of their main goals is to promote our property values. They are not dependable as promoters of our town. It’s fine to worry about derelict houses, but how about the derelict entrance to OG?
I suggest that we all write, call, or email our committeemen and tell them to do something about the transformation of our entrance way into a commercial advertising district instead of something a historic town on the National Register can be proud of.
If you go to the township web site Township web site you will find “contact us” and then you will find the township directory which has the Neptune municipal government phone extensions. If you click on the blue name of anyone there, you will get their email address and a ready-made email form suitable for mailing with no postage necessary.
The phone number is 732 988 5200. The address for regular mail or for visiting is 25 Neptune Boulevard.
email addresses of the Neptune Township Committee:
drmbrantley@neptunetownship.org (Dr Brantley is the mayor)
rbishop@neptunetownship.org
kmcmillan@neptunetownship.org
mjahn@neptunetownship.org
ehoughtaling@neptunetownship.org
THE MILLS BROTHERS:
I’m not sure percentage-wise, but after strolling around the town hundreds of times, I would estimate OG has at least three or four hundred properties in critical need of maintenance. There are dozens of year-round empty structures not being maintained. There are maybe a dozen “learners”.
There are too many rotted porches to count. There are dozens of houses needing roofs. A few are being torn apart by ivy. There are dozens of houses just a few years from turning into the next “80 Mains” and “14 Sprays”, if they aren’t there already. Although I still love being an OG resident, I am quite saddened by what I see every time I walk around town.
Paul,
After so much work on that yearlong HSOG project by resident and non-resident volunteers the project was deemed unacceptable for use by State officials because it was not done by an “accredited” individual. I’m very aware of how much time and effort was put into it by so many individuals because I was responsible for entering into a data base each picture by address, block and lot no. from the discs the fotogs sent me. Each property was photographed, front and sides, with notes of any special features. BTW the HSOG did intend to allow public access to the survey at their Museum.
The importance of the project has been raised anew during questioning and discussions at Township Committee Agenda Meetings re applying for Certified Local Government status. The cost of having a professional do the housing survey being a major concern.
Why CLG? It allows applying for State grants avaialble only to Historic Districts.
NOTE: This discussion stream about “run down” houses is being moved to its own location for separate analysis.
link:
http://blogfinger.net/2014/05/18/just-wondering-are-one-in-four-houses-in-the-grove-run-down-to-one-degree-or-another/
Ken, We are getting ahead of ourselves with this discussion. Devo said that one in four of houses in the Grove are “rundown to one degree or another” Obviously we have a problem with definitions. His statistic is useless without defining “run down”
I can recall when the Code Enforcement would leave you a notice if they saw paint peeling. Wen I first moved here, I saw many houses, usually at least a few on each block, that really looked crummy. Since then, to my eye, there has been vast improvement. Are we missing a backward trend that Devo sees?
Whatever happened to the HSOG project of years ago when they were going to photograph every house in town? Eileen and I participated in that, taking pictures of many houses on the north end of town. If that data still exists, maybe its time to do it again and make comparisons.
Paul: Why not have your own mission (?) include how many run-down houses there are in Ocean Grove.. Your dissatisfaction with (criticism of) the DBC results (lack of) should be the inspiration to form such a group. The more the merrier, might even be successful if enough of us get involved.
Ken: You chose to quote Devo. I do not have a staff of fact checkers. Commenters can say what they want, even if their information is wrong. This isn’t the NY Times. This is a blog where others can set the record straight. We are an information sharing web site.
As for the Derelict Committee, if they have no idea how many run-down houses there are in town, then perhaps they should expand their mission. Maybe run-down houses will prove to be a workable goal for them, because their success with abandoned derelict houses leaves much to be desired.
Paul,
I quoted from the comment you posted from Devo. If you are skeptical about the figure, perhaps you should have not posted it on your blog or at least, edited it. I suggest you check with Devo to verify it.
Why would you think the DBC ought to know? It has been concerned with and concentrates its efforts on specific derelict unoccupied (abandoned?) houses not “run down” properties.
Several times it has been proposed to the Township Committee that an “abandoned property list” be prepared by a designated municipal official as NJ Statutory provisions allow. Such a list of all Neptune properties that qualify would provide for a valuable tool to use in dealing with this situation.
ken
Ken: How about asking your Derelict Building Committee to tell us if Devo is right that 1 of 4 houses in the Grove is “run down to one degree or another.” If that is true, then the DBC ought to know.
I am skeptical about that 25% figure, but you quoted it. Please verify.
To me, the everyday reality of so many derelict and rundown houses throughout Ocean Grove (Devo estimates 1/4 of the houses) is a far greater problem that belies the “beautiful Ocean Grove” reputation. The pinkness offends for the moment while the pervasiveness of rundown buildings is silently tolerated aside from the OGHOA’s Derelict Building Committee’s activities.
One of its successes is the wonderful renovation nearing completion of the Main Street house opposite the strip mall. After years of filing “Complaints”, Muni Court appearances and summonses a man (a hero?) visiting from Brooklyn “fell in love with the Grove” bought the house he believed could become a welcoming sight for those coming to Ocean Grove. Incidentally, the gray tombstone on the corner looks like a telephone or traffic light utility company box; not much anybody can do about that.
I would prefer to see as many comments on the derelict buildings “cancer” spreading in our beloved community as the pink issue has generated.
Loved and support your comments concerning the Main Avenue entrance. We deserve better!
Keep up the great work
Regards
N.
OhGee: Thank you for your comment. I’m not sure what it has to do with “Schlock City,” but I enjoy differing opinions based on facts. We do not publish personal attacks, views that attribute people’s motives, or angry, obnoxious statements that spoil the tone of the blog.
Readers sometimes have certain expectations of Blogfinger, but the only expectations I respond to are my own. Those who enjoy what I put out will return, while those who don’t will leave. That’s no surprise. We get new visitors all the time including many from around the world.
As far as the number of people that visit Blogfinger, our stats have remained about the same over the last couple of years, and the number of “hits’ is constantly recorded on our front page. I enjoy having large numbers visit, but I will continue with this project regardless of the stats. When I first started in 2009, I was surprised and pleased to go over 100 visits per day.
Christine Myers… There is only one house on Main Street and that is being redone. Everything else is commercial property.
I know a number of people that have ceased reading Blogfinger for a variety of reasons.
For me, I take what I like, and leave the rest. You are a public blog, and people will comment whether they agree with you or not.
According to the National Cancer Institute, May is Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month (perhaps of some interest to many, considering, well, the OG beaches). (October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month).
At least they didn’t paint the WW1 Doughboy pink. (I’m thankful for small favors.)
In my naïve way (LOL), I assume as a dues-paying member of an organization that claims to represent my interests that the OG Homeowners Association should be advocating a positive approach to this concern.
@Blogfinger – kudos to you!
Sal. It’s obvious that you will never understand my position on these issues, but I posted your comment to give me the opportunity to say this to the citizens of Schlock City:
1. I don’t care if those signs are about world peace, kindness to moms, or more rectal exams for men, it is all ugly. Why don’t you erect them in front of your house?
2. The fact that the detritus hanging from a pipe fence is on private property is irrelevant. Did you ever hear of zoning and ordinances?
3. As for the pink blobs, rags and bows “decorating” the entrance to the Grove, they are as mindless today as the day that they went up. I don’t care about Eatontown. My remarks are all about Ocean Grove.
4. And if the Grovers who comment on Blogfinger “embarrass” you, then perhaps you should just talk to yourself or those who agree with you and leave Blogfinger to those who have an open mind and who are kinder to the neighbors with whom they disagree. And while you are at it, how about using your real name so your neighbors can know.
Yes, this is outlandish that someone is using private property (JSAC) to promote breast cancer awareness month and a charity softball game aimed at our police getting involved with the young people of Neptune. Seriously… this is a problem? 95% of the time this corner is beautiful.
Every town in the area is promoting being pink. I drove thru Pinkontown today instead of Eatontown as a big banner across the road promoted the name change. Two weeks ago you complained that the pinkness was not “explained” so now they promote it and you are upset with that too.
I find the swipe at SRH by Christine humorous too. Tens of thousand fish are dead and stinking up Avon, Bradley Beach, Wall, Neptune City, Seaview Island, Belmar and those “rich” land owners in SRH. My neighbors embarrass me daily with some of the comments on this blog. None of our elected officials live in SRH and Bascom / Cutrell / Gadaleta have zero influence on what signs Herb posts on his property.
I doubt the Committee people could care less about the entrance to Ocean Grove. The Mayor has no interest in the Grove, and their main concern now is cleaning up dead fish in Shark River– where the rich people and the Twp. officials live. —
Christine
I would expect the JSAC would have to give permission to allow hanging of banners, signs, etc on its pipe fence, not the OGHOA.
There is a Township of Neptune form available for a complaint like this. It asks for location of complaint (address, block, lot required) and nature of complaint. (It helps if the Ordinance No. violated is given).
A response by phone, mail or a visit to the desk can be expected in a day or two, sometimes longer.
I find the Code Enforcement and Construction Departments to be more helpful and accommodating than used to be the case; certainly faster than previously.
Probably 1/4 of the houses in the Grove are run down to one degree or another. Maybe higher taxes (after the reassessment) will motivate these folks who do not (or cannot) maintain their houses to move on.
It makes me sad to see all the unrealized potential of the Grove. Generally new owners invest in their houses and fix them up.
I agree and also think it is a shame Main Street has so many houses that need work,not a good impression!
Radar: You definitely should be in charge of something because you love to give out assignments. I am officially deputizing you as a Blogfinger reporter to go and interview Mr. Herb Herbst who is the founder and president of the JSAC. Then send me your report, and I will post it on Blogfinger.
I should add that I received a report (from my inside secret source “Deep Pharynx”) who said that the Pink People went to the Township for permission to post all that stuff. If you go to the Municipal Building, you will find that the Pink-a-thon is in full swing over there where there are moronic pink blobs (just blobs–no writing) stuck to the doors–I kid you not. (see Wassup for the photo)
One assumes the entire area is part of the “charitable” arts center (adjective provided to indicate its diverse financial dependency). Its chief mover and shaker is a recognized OG community leader who assisted in OG’s turn-around years ago eliminating State institutional domination. What a great opportunity for Blogfinger to conduct an interview that would hopefully assist in solving the issue.
Paul, let’s keep property values low, at least until the reevaluation this summer, maybe our taxes won’t be going up so much. Then we have 10 years to fix it up.
Just a thought.. Ted