The Albatross was featured in Boardwalk Empire. This is Paul Goldfinger’s still photo from the HBO streaming series.
By Paul Goldfinger. Editor Blogfinger.net. 1/26/24
A front page article in today’s January 25, 2024 Coaster is based on an interview between a Coaster reporter and the Director of Operations for the RFO Group, a company that manages motels and hotels, and Ron Rudolph is the CEO.
Here is what we learned:
a. The owners are Grovers: Chris Cornell and Ron Rudolph.
b. The Albatross is “in need of modernization.” But the work will “maintain its historic aesthetic.” (Perhaps the HPC will explain what this means.)
c. The owners want to “bring the Albatross back to its glory.” (Please translate.)
d. Some features will include larger “lodgings, an elevator, handicap accessibility, and modern fire suppressions.”
e. So, you can see that they are leaving a lot of details out, and if they are already working at the site, then Neptune should release the permits for that work now. How many rental units will result?
f. The owners want a restaurant in the hotel increasing the demands for parking. Will that “elegant” restaurant appeal to the flea market crowd? And will there be pressure to allow a bar? Can drinks be enjoyed by the guests on the porch?
And how many parking spaces would this remodeling require? Those who stay in this new hotel will have money and cars, and they will have visitors. The usual cast of characters at the Albatross tend to be locals without cars. (See the demographics below.)
And how do the single family Ocean Pathway residents feel about this project? This is, after all, a neighborhood.
And there is more: “Perrier-Strand (RFO) said that other hotels have been sold and this is an opportunity to maintain the flavor and historical nature of the district while still catering to the tourism industry which is so vital.” (Please translate this gibberish and tell us which hotels were sold and what happened to them.)
And he says “that the hotel will be valuable in terms of the surrounding areas as well. With more concerts, events and other offerings making Asbury Park so attractive. The Albatross can provide a historic feel for visitors while they patronize Ocean Grove and the surrounding towns.”
So the new Albatross will be a new concept in the Grove, ie to provide a hotel for Asbury Park fans while staying in our town. OG is the beard. The new hotel at the North End will undoubtedly have a similar purpose.
This is a new species, i.e. the next exploitation to happen here since the age of old hotel to condo conversions blessed by the Neptuners. Condos were never historic.
And the new Albatross, although with a “historic aesthetic,” will not actually have a historic purpose.
Old hotels also used to be demolished and sometimes turned into single family homes after fires (as with the Manchester Inn on the Pathway and in keeping with the zoning and Master Plan.). And speaking of zoning, don’t forget we have favorable and possibly illegal zoning for condos, hotel, and retail at the new North End.
Interestingly, when was the last time a hotel was saved by being “brought back” as a new hotel? I recall interviewing the owner of the Manchester Inn before it was turned into single family homes. He told me that even though the Manchester was popular, as a business, hotels in the Grove were a losing proposition and that is not what he wanted. He wanted condos, and I think he was going to get them, but I’m not sure.
But the new owners seem to be very astute, so they evidently see the new Albatross as a good business model, even without parking or a liquor license.
We all know that a new trend in OG is to buy or rent homes because of our proximity to Asbury Park. So, as hotels go, the current Albatross plan is a transformative and precedent-setting plan for an Ocean Grove hotel–never before expressed that way.
One condo conversion led to another 40 years ago, and the cat was out of the bag. And one worrisome new idea may lead to another.
How about those ocean front hotels that could use a new marketing point of view? I met an owner recently who said that new house rental trends are hurting his business. So dump the “historic” adjective and try “have a hot time in the old town tonight–just walk north.”
We know that a new hotel transformation will go up at the Albatross site, but ideally shouldn’t it have similar functions being recently a low priced place to stay for the OG underground: young folks, students, artists, people who are transients, workers, musicians, yoga instructors; those who would stay and don’t need the “elegance that has since been forgotten or has not been done in a while.” (Quote from Mr Pernier-Strand ).
Low priced transient housing is really the sort of hotel that we need and keeping up the tradition of what it has been in recent times. And such guests rarely need parking.
This should not be like the old SoHo vs the new SoHo where one demographic is replaced by a grander other.
But they might listen. Remember they approved Mary’s Place on Main Avenue while turning away drug rehabilitation on Ocean Avenue.
What will the proposed North End Hotel do now? Maybe they will change to condos. The Neptuners have allowed that option.
Ocean Grove has no organization that focuses on lifestyles for those who live here. The Master Plan is ignored and the Home Groaners have said nothing. So who represents the old folks at home? And will they have a bar?
ARLO GUTHRIE: