Mt. Hermon Way, Ocean Grove, 2008. Blogfinger photo ©. click to see a perfect OG street.

By  J. Cortese, Grover and expert on historic architecture and design.  Letter to Blogfinger— re-posted from April, 2017:

Does anyone remember the play from decades ago called “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change?”

Ocean Grove has, over the past decade, been flooded with people purchasing houses because they claim to love the town, its historic charm, its friendly atmosphere etc. Then suddenly, they want to build or remodel in ways that are contrary to the very things they claimed to love in the first place!

When their grandiose plans are resisted, the whining and complaining starts, and, if they have enough money, they hire an attorney to try to get what they want. And it usually is Jennifer Krimko, and she usually wins. I don’t hold that against her because she is being paid to do a job, and, she is doing her job – very, very well. Too bad we preservationists couldn’t afford her to represent the other side!

I don’t understand why these people just don’t buy property in Belmar, Bradley Beach, Avon etc– all lovely towns with large lots and with much fewer restrictions as far as construction and design are concerned. Plus- curb cuts with garages are allowed! Why spend time and money trying to force your non-historic insensitive projects down the townspeople’s throats? How many more of these vanity projects must we endure? How much more of original Ocean Grove will be lost?

In the ten years I worked designing and building in OG I’ve witnessed many disheartening events:
Illegal demos, destruction of original architectural elements, dismantling of historic structures one wall at a time in order to get around the “no demo” rules. (I watched four buildings on the Ocean Pathway disappear this way – 3 hotels and one residence).

Also: Plastic fencing and railings, demolition by neglect (Sampler and Parkview Inns,) 3 devastating fires originating in old hotels being converted that not only destroyed those buildings, but many other lovely, irreplaceable structures as well.

The scale of most buildings that have replaced the ones lost are disproportionately large, with ersatz Victorian elements plastered onto them in a sad attempt to make them appear “historic.”

Then there is the new building 50 Main Avenue, which replaced those destroyed by yet another catastrophic fire. The building is very nice-looking, but it was pushed out to the concrete sidewalk. I’ve heard the claim that the new structure follows the original footprint, but that is simply untrue! Doesn’t anyone remember that there were pavers on both sides of the concrete sidewalk? That there were tables on those pavers in front of Patty K’s and later Yvonne’s Cafe? Does anyone have pictures from those days?

OK J.—Here it is: 50 Main Avenue 2014.  Click to see the tables behind the little girl.   Blogfinger file photo. © Paul Goldfinger photo.

Now, the facade of the new building juts out further than the adjoining structures, blocking the view from east to west and vice versa while also creating a bottleneck for pedestrians. And let’s not forget that the Yvonne’s building was one story, and the new one is much taller, blocking all the southern exposure that used to be enjoyed. (Editor’s note: The planned restaurant in the new building will be two stories tall)

New building at #50 Main. Note the setback situation. Blogfinger photo. April, 2017 ©

Sadly, if this pattern continues, Ocean Grove may become what nearly every other shore town is becoming – an overbuilt, “second-home” community with skyrocketing taxes that are forcing the middle class “year-rounders” out. That is unfortunate because this tears at the fabric of a community and greatly diminishes what makes a town vibrant, charming, and friendly.

Keep up the good work, Kevin, Jack, and Paul. Ocean Grove needs more people like you!”

JIMMY BUFFETT:

“It’s those changes in latitudes,
changes in attitudes nothing remains quite the same.
With all of our running and all of our cunning,
If we couldn’t laugh, we would all go insane.”