Rotten supports under the Great White Whale. March 7, 2016. Jean Bredin photo Blogfinger staff ©
Blogfinger special report. March 7, 2016. By Paul Goldfinger, Editor and Jack Bredin, researcher @Blogfinger.
The big white building on the beach at the North End is called the Pavilion by some and the Homestead Building by others.
We call it the Great White Whale. This past summer Randy Bishop announced that the building would contain 4 stories in the future including condominiums, an auditorium and a banquet hall. Later he disavowed that announcement.
There have been concerns about that building in terms of whether such a usage would be legal. Construction on New Jersey beaches is under the watchful eyes of the State DEP, and only recreational uses are allowed.
You may recall that the back of the restaurant collapsed after Sandy, and some wondered about the adequacy of the re-built portion. New construction standards have been developed for shore buildings post Sandy. FEMA is paying for the current North End boardwalk project, but no one that we know has seen the plans as submitted to FEMA.
The new North End Boardwalk was supposed to be widened to 35 feet in front of the Whale during the boardwalk reconstruction going on now. You will recall that macadam had been used temporarily and that wood rather than Trex is planned for some portions of the North End boardwalk because of NERP uncertainties at this time.
Recently we reported that work had stopped at the North End boardwalk.. We don’t know what happened since then, but today we are informed that work has stopped again because the underlying supports under that building are rotted, and the integrity of the building is in question.
Engineers have to evaluate the situation, but so far there are no public announcements and no details. This condition has already raised serious concerns about the future of the Great White Whale. The State will undoubtedly be looking at this, and probably also FEMA. Who is responsible for this sloppy mess?
LINKS TO PRIOR POSTS ABOUT THE WHALE.
Short shorts from the North End Redevelopment Zone: Boardwalk work to begin soon, but…….
The tale of the great white whale on the OG Boardwalk….. (2015 BF post)
DEL McCOURY with the PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND “Careless Love.”