This is an article from the Ocean Grove and Neptune Times newspaper on June 20, 1985. It was sent to us by a former Grover:
NORTH END’S CHANGEOVER
The recent decision by Neptune Township’s Board of Adjustment to approve the requested variances for the 221 unit apartment complex at the North End should be of great interest to all Ocean Grovers. It is estimated that the five story building will have 321 senior citizen tenants paying monthly rentals of $594 for an efficiency to over $1000 per month for a 2 bedroom apartment.
The tenants’ more than modest income is expected to generate approximately $75. per week per person expenditures in needed services. Local merchants should expect their fair share. The property tax revenue for this project alone is estimated at $281,000 annually.
There is no doubt this project will have a major impact on Ocean Grove. Perhaps other uses of this prime area would be better, but none came forward successfully. Certainly no one can argue that this is an improvement over the condition now existing at the site. The developers claim their market research demographics indicate this will be a viable project. Their “$10 million investment supports their optomism.
Change is sometimes very difficult to accept but if done properly it can be to our advantage. We are confident the government officials including the Architectural Review Board have made a very conscientious judgment to see that this project will succeed and assure us the complex will be in keeping with our treasured Victorian flavor so important to all who love Ocean Grove.
Editor’s Note: We have no definite idea as to why this project failed, but it was cancelled at about the same time as the South End condominiums in 1986. It may have run into DEP issues. The CMA supported both projects, and they admitted publicly in 1986 that they needed to make money from these developments. —PG June, 2016 @ Blogfinger.net
So why do these things keep happening? Is it because no one is watching or listening? Ask Marilyn:
Was there ever really a question as to why CMA approves the development projects? We bury our heads, with an occasional question of the CMA agenda, because we would like to believe that they actually care about this town just as much as its residents.