This is the White Whale building on the OG North End boards when that North End boardwalk restoration was ongoing. The building, privately owned was on the beach and was used for stores and eateries. Blogfinger photo. c. 2012.
03/12/26: We have received a tip from Grover Kevin Chambers, an FOB (Friend of Blogfinger) that a redevelopment plan for this North End site will be revealed now. He heard it on-line.
Video by Blogfinger.net. Paul Goldfinger photographs.
A crowd assembled on the beach and boardwalk to see the efforts to control this fire. 4/13/19 Paul Goldfinger photo.
White Whale fire. Blogfinger photo. 4/13/19
Paul Goldfinger, MD, Editor, Blogfinger.net. Ocean Grove, NJ , USA. 03/01/2024 update:
The large white building was unoccupied on 4/13/19 when the fire was reported at about 11:30 am. A huge assemblage of fire and emergency trucks showed up very quickly, but most of the firemen were standing on the boardwalk We saw a small crew at the rear where it appears that the fire began in the space under the restaurants. They were using hoses to run water in.
The crowd was told to stand back at noon because of fear of a gas explosion. We have no information as to the cause or extent, but it seems as if there was trouble quelling the blaze. Trucks were still arriving with sirens blasting as late as 2:30 pm.
A look back to history of the building: Sandy 2012 and 2016 issues:
This photo above is from March 2016 when rotten supports were revealed under that building during boardwalk work, and there was concern about the structural integrity of the building.
During Sandy in 2012, the rear of this structure collapsed raising questions if this building could be used again and if repairs were done according to post Sandy specifications.
This is what happened to the rear of the White Whale after Sandy 2012. Blogfinger photo. Paul Goldfinger photo.
April 13, 2019 fire continued… Reports of a spreading blaze that threatens the entire building. Flames break through the roof. A rumor says that suspicious people had been living underneath.
APP photo at 2:00 pm–then the roof collapsed. (APP).
3:30 pm Asbury Park Press: “Firefighters are battling a four-alarm blaze at an Ocean Grove boardwalk eatery that has already caused a partial collapse of the boardwalk, emergency officials said.”
Heavy smoke is spreading to other towns.
We have no information as to who owns this building. It has been successful in recent summers as a food court. It is located just inside the line that separates OG from Asbury Park.
8:30 pm Building is a total loss; will have to be torn down.
Here is a link posted on Blogfinger the day after the fire. 4/24/19:
Here is a link about the White Whale’s demise:
March 1, 2024 Editor’s note:
Paul Goldfinger, Blogfinger.net
The White Whale property on the beach was privately owned. Supposedly the owner had grand plans, but we have heard nothing lately, and how could he get DEP permission to build on the beach?
Here is Taylor Swift with her song “Castles Crumbling.”
February 27, 2025. Blogfinger: Ocean Grove rumor mill: Someone asked Committeeman Lane if he knew anything about a developer wanting to build on the beach where the “White Whale” restaurant facility had been located;
He supposedly said that he cannot reveal anything about that subject. What? How about transparency in local government? If this quote is actually true, is a Committeeman justified in withholding this information? Could his name really be “Mr. Cellophane?”
This is potentially an explosive topic.
AP – OG should sell to a production studio(s). Great for AP & OG creatives. Netflix is years away & huge. AC has a production place in Ocean 1 . North& South NJ have facilities but not Central(AP) ? AP area would be great location.