On March 12, 2011, 27 Surf Avenue was turned into an empty lot. Another home later was built there. Photo by Ted Aanensen, Blogfinger staff. ©
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger
This is getting ridiculous. First we had the Manchester Inn conflagration on March 13, 2010 and then there was the destructive Surf Avenue fire on March 11, 2011. Recently a tent burned down—that’s enough to make anybody tense.
Now we add the Main Avenue fire of February 6, 2015. Throughout Ocean Grove’s history there have been many fires which destroyed tinder box buildings including large hotels and boarding hoses.
But you would think that we would have been able to avoid repeats by using superior technology. Of course, many cases are due to human carelessness, and even Smoky the Bear can’t prevent that.
In 2011, an article in Blogfinger questioned the quality of fire investigations in Ocean Grove by County investigators. Here is a link to a review of that subject. Hopefully they have improved in that area. Note that none of these fires were found to be suspicious, not even the tent fire where the electricity and gas had been turned off. Spontaneous combustion perhaps? And how about the “Friday February Fire of 2015?” We’re told that it is “currently under investigation.”
Fire investigators article Blogfinger 2011
So now we have another big fire which will leave a large empty lot on Main Avenue, sort of like the large lots we acquired around the Manchester Inn and on Surf Ave. in the past.
In those locations, opulent single family homes went up. Before the Manchester burned there was talk of converting the building into condos, but that was not to be. Interestingly, the owner of that Inn said that rebuilding the hotel was economically unfeasible.
The Sampler was demolished, and that site remains empty, awaiting construction of two Victorian wannabes. Meanwhile we have another blank space on Main Avenue.
The other double empty lot on the second Beach block of Main Ave. will be where Mary’s Place will be constructed. I think something burned down there in the past. (anybody know?) That zoning story was discussed recently on BF.
So what will happen to the new vacant lots at the site of Friday’s fire? Based on past experience, whatever happens will not be decided by the citizens, no matter how many hearings are held. Representative government in this town is in some respects deficient, at least as far as those who live here are concerned. Transparency of processes needs to be improved, such as in the zoning arena. But, if we are dissatisfied , whose fault is that? Just look in the mirror.
Concerned Resident of Ocean Grove:
Based on County deed records and the trucks regularly stored on this lot, it appears the lot is owned by the Gannons. It was purchased from the Arts Center shortly after the old school buildings were razed. The area is zoned for mixed use.
When they were trying to build a 64 unit monstrosity there (prior to the destruction of the old buildings and purchase of the land by the Gannons) I scoured the Township Land Use Ordinance, and while there were many uses that could be allowed on that lot without a variance, a 64 unit apartment building was not on that list. Nor was a dump. And I’m pretty certain no variance was granted for dump usage because residents on the surrounding blocks should have (by law) received notification of such application and associated hearings.
OGJamie
I feel so bad for you having to look at these piles of dirt, dumpsters, etc. (it looks terrible to be part of the entrance to OG). I am not sure if it is legal to dump dirt from a construction site like this to a vacant lot.
Neptune Township’s Code/Construction/Engineering/Health Department should check into this situation especially with having homes so close to this dumping area. Why isn’t anyone checking into this situation? if this is legal to do, who owns this property and why is it being allowed to happen? Someone needs to answer some question-Neptune Township-Committee people-Mayor-DEP-EPA .
OGJamie: I guess you understand why we call them The Ocean Grove Home Groaners’ Association. You are not the only Grover who doesn’t go to their “meetings.” They get perhaps 10% of their membership, or less, to attend.
The HOA could be a force for real action (as was the HOA of old) if they were to capitalize on their member numbers, but they don’t even know how many members they have, and if they do, do they care?
It’s time for a coup d’etat at the HGA.
Rarely discussed is the large vacant lot next to the Arts Center, which recently saw the addition of about 12 mounds of dirt and debris to join the existing piles of dirt and dumpsters and construction vehicles. To be honest, I preferred the old, abandoned school buildings that were once on the lot v. what we have now.
Is this not of a concern to anybody because it’s at the back end of the town? I would think having an eyesore like that near the entrance to town would be a concern to business owners and residents alike. Would be a perfect place for single family homes on the Lawrence Ave side and small business on the Route 71 side….or perhaps a parking lot for overflow summer traffic and the Arts Center itself.
Anybody know if the HOA has ever expressed an opinion on that lot? I was a member of the HOA a while back but gave up after realizing it was an organization run largely by a select clique that seemed always hesitant to take action. (the leadership had to be dragged kicking and screaming to even have an opinion on the proposed monstrosity that a developer wanted to build on that lot years ago even though the majority of the HOA membership opposed it – and even that response was milquetoast) Not sure if that has changed.
As a victim of one of prior fires I have to agree totally with Concerned Resident. A building that was not mentioned as a fire issue is The Whitfield Hotel on Surf Ave. I am told that this building is due for demoltion this spring (hopefully).
Having followed most of the action with regard to the vacant buildings mentioned here on Blogfinger we know that the Township may pretend that they are listening to the community and taking action,but alas they remain indifferent,blasé and with no sense of urgency.
Protecting the well being of the taxpayers/residents of OG does not seem to be a priority. Having attended many meetings I feel that as residents/taxpayers/voters we appear to have little or no influence in Neptune Twp. regarding these issues.
Unfortunately last week’s downtown fire stresses the critical need in our compact/dense community for major fire prevention efforts.
The Ocean Grove Homeowners Association should effectively respond by promulgating through meetings and media what Neptune Twp. currently requires in code.
That is its first immediate step.
What is more important is identifying and utilizing fire prevention experts at state and other relevant sources to tell us–and the township–what is
more helpful. The age of our housing, its construction composition, and narrow lot sizes demand it deal with this issue. Now!
I.M. Radar
This is why we have to be careful with the boarded up fire traps of the Warrington Hotel and the Park View. On my morning walk, I have seen people coming out of these places early in the morning-possible squatters. .If I were the neighbors of those buildings, I would be very concerned about the potential fire danger that these buildings pose to the neighborhood and the town. They are massive buildings that could do a lot of damage to that whole area if they ever caught on fire. Neptune Needs to do something about these buildings. I am tired of hearing about all the Neptune Township’s excuses for not doing anything with these buildings.(we need to get more aggressive) they need to do something before a tragedy happens The Township of Neptune needs to prevent a tragedy from happening in anyway they have to. Lawyers, Committee People, Mayor, Code Enforcement, etc. Anyway they can prevent this from happening. THE TOWNSHIP OF NEPTUNE NEEDS TO DO SOMETHIGN WITH THESE BUILDINGS IN OCEAN GROVE BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE
The Polonaise Hotel was on the lot where Mary’s Place will be located.