AP “Musical Renaissance.”
Michael Black, Getty Images via AP website. This photo references the Sea.Hear.Now Festival for Sept 21-22, 2019

Asbury Park boards after the 2018  Sea.Hear.Now Festival closed. Paul Goldfinger photo. ©  Shortly after we obtained this image, a long caravan of open bed trucks carrying about 100 Port-a-Johns moved slowly down Ocean Avenue toward Wesley Lake and Ocean Grove.

By Paul Goldfinger,  Editor @Blogfinger.net

March 4, 20129 Ocean Grove, New Jersey:

Most  Grovers have looked on with interest at the evolution of the new City of Asbury Park  (sometimes called a “town” by other media.) We have witnessed first hand, by our proximity, at how successful the process has been. 

In Ocean Grove we have already experienced parking, crowding, and noise issues.  In addition there is concern about the ecology of Wesley Lake which is now officially called a “detention/retention basin” by Neptune officials, but not by Asbury officials.  The two towns share ownership of that lake.    We have no idea as to what Asbury Park will do about the progressively worsening storm water drainage into the Lake.

But recently, bubbling up from the murky underground, we hear that the CMA, Neptune Township, and OGNED Developers are on the verge of beginning the commercial transformation of our North End, a process that we have been observing.   But in this post we wonder out loud regarding what further  effect the Asbury transformation will have on the Grove going into the future.

The City of A. Park has been mute regarding their plans for their south end which, as you know, borders our North End just south of the Casino, near the White Whale.  Do the A. Park developers have any opinions or plans regarding their proximity to us?  The quotes below are from a website called Asbury Park Waterfront   (link to S. Park’s waterfront plans)

“While the City of Asbury Park maintains control and responsibility for the beach and actual boardwalk, Madison Marquette leads the redevelopment effort on Convention Hall, the Casino building and Carousel

“iStar, in its thoughtful approach to development, is helping to create a vision of something special, while being mindful of Asbury Park’s treasured past. Today, iStar owns 35 acres along the waterfront. Over the past eight years, the Company has invested more than $300 million in what is expected to be a multi-billion-dollar revitalization effort over the coming decade.

“As the Master Developer for Asbury Park’s waterfront area, we take our civic and social responsibility for the entire City seriously. We are committed to being transparent about our future development plans and want to involve the community in creating a new vision for the waterfront.”

We filled in a form found on that website  (see below):

To Asbury Park Waterfront Developers:

I am the editor of Blogfinger.net, an Ocean Grove site that has taken a keen interest in the rebirth of Asbury Park. We have published a variety of articles about this subject.

But we would like to know more about the south end of AP waterfront,  especially the future of the Casino and the section of the ocean front property between the Casino and the border with Ocean Grove.

Developers in Ocean Grove are planning a large commercial project on the currently barren “North End” of Ocean Grove.

Will you, as the Master Developer, play any part in the Ocean Grove North End Redevelopment Plan?

Thank you for any information you might provide.

Paul Goldfinger,  Editor of Blogfinger.net”

AMY ADAMS  and LEE PACE,  from the soundtrack of Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day