By Paul Goldfinger, MD. Editor Blogfinger.net
Blogfinger.net photo of the Casino in A. Park. Paul Goldfinger photo.” Back from A. Park to OG . 2017.
The front page Coasterican news today is about Asbury Park where the City Council will be suing the “redevelopers” of 3 historic structures, 2 of which, the Casino and the heating plant, directly concern the town of Ocean Grove which is at the south end of the Asbury boards; and then there is the Paramount Theater which can be found near the north end of the Asburian boardwalk.
Blogfinger photo. Heating plant is to the left. Casino straight ahead, as seen from the OG side of the boards. Paul Goldfinger photo. 2017.
Here is a Blogfinger link about a recent development idea for that heating tower. This post is from September, 2022.
It seems that the re-developer over there has neglected some obligations to properly develop and care for those historic buildings which are deteriorating from the elements.
But the part I found most amusing is that the City of Asbury is fighting with their “re-developer.”
We have a re-development project in the Grove, but here at our North End we have a rapacious re-developer that is working closely with Neptune Township “governance” but ignoring the needs of we-the-people. That project has been in trouble since 2007.
At least the Asbury City Council, which contains four female members (and a male Mayor,) is fighting for the best interests of their community and its historic structures.
Wouldn’t it be great if the dye were cast here in the Grove on behalf of the best interests of our town?
And the other admirable feature of A. Park governance is that political party priorities are not found over there unlike the disgraceful single party rule here of Neptune Democrats. This observation in AP has been championed by the Tri-City News for years.
Political party identity is not what the Asburians do, unlike the political hacks sitting at the Neptune Mother Ship. The current Neptuner mayor famously wrote “Democrat” on his election signs in town. How many of you Grovers know his name?
JOHNNY GIMBLE AND ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL: “Big Balls in Cowtown.”
I wouldn’t be surprised if the real re-development agenda at the Casino is for demolition. Then, it would be condo time. Look what happened to the beach front in Long Branch over many years. And if condos are in store, then try to imagine that in continuity with the future OG North End plan. Hopefully the A. Parkers will fight for their historic past unlike the indifferent Neptune crew which will move ahead while Grovers attend giant flea markets here.
The future of the Casino seems bleak to me. The collapse of the Florida condo showed the effect salt spray can have on concrete buildings, not to mention those with exposed steel beams. Of course, half of it has been already demolished.
I always liked the Asbury Park pavilions with their shells, sea horses, and copper ships since the 1950s. Unfortunately, buildings can become obsolete. Here in Flushing, we had a nearly 3,000 seat Spanish Baroque movie palace by noted theater architect Thomas Lamb. In its glory days, projected clouds drifted across a star studded sky. However, it closed after the first Star Wars film and sat vacant for decades. Various attempts to repurpose it all failed and it was demolished in 2021. The same happened with US World’s Fair pavilion that lingered and was eventually replaced by the US Open tennis stadium.