To The Editor: 2013.
Re: Up on the Roof
Paul:
No one would ever imagine that an in-roof pool exists high above the Grove at the Greek Temple on Ocean Avenue near Webb.
Greek Pool: Inscription at the Temple of Apollo: “Nothing in excess” photo courtesy of Rich Amole
Greek pool up close. From Rich Amole. He wants to know if they ice-skate up there?
RICH AMOLE
Ocean Grove, NJ, Dec. 15, 2013
FIVE TIMES AUGUST (2011):
From what I was told by a member of HPC at the time, the various aspects of the building were justified as there were other example in town. There were hotels with large columns in front, a use of stucco, etc., but the whole does not reflect the traditional look of OG. It resembles, in fact, something like a London men’s club of the 1850s.
What is done is done. However, the building could be improved by giving it a lighter appearance. The dark green gives a oppressive and even menacing look. There is also inconstancy in the use of white for the trim. Had the whole been say a light yellow ochre with white moldings, window pediments, pilasters, and columns, a more forgivable appearance would be presented.
Boycotting and picketing are the American way to go. Our courts are overwhelmed and legal costs are high. Hit Koplitz economically!
Sal, a prior poster already explained about how the building was approved (hence it’s here to stay). Being nice people and/or doing nice things for the town (and many of us do) doesn’t give any OG citizen carte blanche to thumb their noses at Township noise ordinances whenever they feel like it.
As one who attends many Township Committee Agenda’s, for years I have been very disappointed that so few Ocean Grovers attend these twice a month meetings to take the elected officials to task for not solving the problems enumerated over and over in Blogfinger.
Were it not for OGHOA members of its Derelict Buildings Committee asking tough questions meeting after meeting, keeping front and center the problem structures we would not be aware of the legal obstacles in play “in the courts” and the costs involved (much higher than I would have guessed) taking these owners to court.
If anybody thinks picketing is the way to go, do it. I, on the other hand, believe consistent pressure using the legal tools available to any resident willing to put their name and address on a COMPLAINT FORM have been getting some results, however slowly.
ken.
OhGee… the owner of the “temple” and his family have done more for the town of Ocean Grove than you could ever dream of even attempting. The home was approved by the HPC and the guidelines that were in place at the time.
Hopefully, Ken and other establishment supporters, will not be too upset about this idea for dealing with that “negligent owner.”
A member of the OGCMA Board of Trustees–or maybe its local president–and a member of the governing body of the OG Chamber of Commerce should make a motion at their next meeting NOT to accept any advertising or distribute any information describing the two facilities that “negligent owner” also has on Ocean Pathway.
And there may even be a few OGHOA members who would carry appropriate signs at all three of his facilities this spring. Now wouldn’t the media love that.
Abbott, their temple is here to stay, and their loud parties are incredibly inconsiderate. Yes I know the owners are nice folks, blah blah blah. But they clearly don’t give two hoots about their neighborhood. When the police show up, the music is turned down temporarily, but they return to blasting it shortly thereafter. You can hear it from blocks away. Their parties would fit in much better down in Seaside than Ocean Grove.
If there is a fire, I would think Neptune could easily be sued for negligence. Are they filing motions for action to happen? Are they considering that public safety is a great reason to act forcefully and quickly, or are they they treating these properties just like any other, shrugging their shoulders, saying, “fire is always an issue.” Are they considering that the fire could be huge, where the Park View, the Warrington and the other large buildings could be the big match that lights up the town?
I imagine that once started inside the recesses of the buildings, getting the fire out would be impossible. There is no access from the sides of the buildings. The Warrington is 100 percent cut off from vehicle access after Sandy, as far as I can tell, as is the back of the Park View.
And we are depending on a negligent owner to install a top-notch fire-suppression system? Are you kidding me? There just seems like there are no motions being filed on the part of Neptune. The very model of the perfect negligence lawsuit.
Ken, “In the courts” is not a good enough answer if the Park View were to go up in flames some night. They must have a plan ‘B’ at this point; at least 3 of these buildings are a public danger, from either fire or collapse.
This isn’t just a quality of life issue anymore. How many more years can it go on before something bad happens?
I cannot imagine what it must be like living next to 80 Main or “The Park View.”
For the past six months the OGHOA has been questioning the Township Committee during PUBLIC COMMENT about various OG problem structures. “It is in the courts” is a valid, if frustrating, situation. Just as the developer gamed the system to get the house he wanted built, so do property owners use every legal tactic to stall enforcement efforts.
Bythesea,I have written emails to the township about these houses every 3 months or so. All I get back is that ‘It is in the courts’. I think they have washed their hands of the problem.
Which Victorian features would those be?
The key feature here is that, as a local developer, the owner knew how to work the system. It would have been easy to keep a similar scale and design yet skin it in a more true Victorian style. Nonetheless, it is now part of the town and I accept it for what it is.
We should instead be focusing on the 5 or 6 really horrible eyesore/dangerous properties in town. From what I can see, there has been no action on these in the past 6 months or more. What’s up? Can someone PLEASE turn up the heat.
The applicant’ used the rules allowed at that time with a presentation before the HPC containing a multitude of pictures of many different elements found on various OG structures which were incorporated somewhere in the design of this VICTORIAN ITALINATE HOUSE.
The best that can be said is that it resulted in a more rigorously detailed HPC Design Guidelines which was adopted by the Township Committee by Ordinance. You could not get this “structure” approved for a C-of-A now.
Abbott: My understanding is that the HPC allowed this design because it contained Victorian features found elsewhere in the Grove. Of course, the overall design cannot be found elsewhere in the Grove. Right? Anybody from HPC want to comment?
While I have often wondered how this home received approval from HPC (it would make a fascinating story for this blog, I’m sure), it nonetheless is now a landmark of sorts and the family is very nice. Let them have their temple (and loud party music).