This is Tilly, the symbol of Asbury Park’s success. But what will be the symbol of funny business at Ocean Grove’s North End?
OG North End. A recent Blogfinger photograph. Paul Goldfinger. © click to enlarge.
Two days ago, November 27, at the Home Groaners meeting, a variety of topics were let loose but not discussed.
One of those, at great importance to the citizens of Ocean Grove, was the current standstill regarding the North End Redevelopment Plan proposed by OGNED, the mysterious and anonymous redevelopers who have been and still are secretive about what they are up to, thanks to the exploitative and permissive behavior of the Neptune Township Committee and the moribund and passive OG Homeowners Ass.
Joan Venezia of the HOA North End Committee reported on the standstill (see our WASSUP report below) but she was clearly frustrated by the lack of transparency coming from sources such as the HPC, the Township Comedy, and the Camp Meeting Association which may or may not still own the land currently barren and messy as if the Roman army had just marched through our North End, chariots and all.
Jack Bredin, a resident in town, has had a great deal to say in the past about this matter, and Blogfinger has posted more articles about the North End than any media source anywhere.
But the announcement at the meeting two days ago evidently caused Jack’s hair to stand on end. This is what he said in a comment to Blogfinger today:
“Under the signature of Mayor Carol Rizzo, the Township approved a plan for the North End that is economically unfeasible to develop, and is collapsing under the weight of political incompetence and greed.
“After 11 years and at great cost to the taxpayers, they have failed to develop the most prime location on the Jersey Shore.
“The property could have and should have been re-developed eleven years ago with 25 single-family homes pursuant to the Master Plan and Zoning Ordinance.”
DARIO MARIANELLI. From the movie Quartet: “Not Upset–Not Upset”
We just don’t have the room for all of this. Very sad.
Thanks David. That “Ocean Grave” thing was real, as the town was filled with seniors, and not the type who would play pickle ball. My son rented an apartment in town, and the house next door had an enclosed porch, and every morning they would wheel out a few decrepit folks in wheelchairs. And across the street was some sort of nursing home. I told him that I could never live in this town.
But in recent years we have had another shift in the town’s culture where the Grove has come to life, and we now see young families, professionals, kids and teenagers, young adults who go spear fishing in the ocean, seniors who do play pickle ball on the tennis courts, and fun seekers walking over to Asbury for dinner or bar hopping.
But this North End project will cause another change in the character of this town, and it won’t be for the better.
The North End has a history of unfulfilled plans. On 30 Jun.1977, the Ocean Grove Times mentioned a scheme to build a 272 unit senior housing complex to be called “Aldersgate.” The units ranged from studios to three bedrooms and had full-time security and optional services such as housekeeping, meals, and “lifetime medical care.”
A sample apartment was built on the bridge then existing between the hotel and pavilion and some units actually sold. It was supposed to be completed by spring 1979. The onset of the “Ocean Grave” period likely scared off buyers. This project initially faced a debate very similar to that currently going on for more recent plans.
When the closing of the North End Hotel was finally announced on 7 Apr. 1988, it was mentioned that a “resort hotel” would be built in its place.