In the eighties when Asbury was still considered questionable, but
it had a certain seedy charm, there were many people on the boardwalk.
It
was very active, the little shops all seemed to do well. It wasn't
until the 'last' development scheme failed that the town took a true
downward
turn.
Red Bank may be doing well but it's overpriced and the little stores
won't be
able to survive much longer(two independent health food stores closed
within
days of each other that had been there for years). It is true
gentrification as has
happened in NYC, etc. Is that what Asbury is supposed to become? I
hope
it can retain some uniqueness. The stores that are moving in seem
really high end and sort of glitzy. Rents for housing are high before
anything
has really happened there.
It would be good if office spaces were still available above Cookman
shops.
Regarding the Casino, CH, pavilions, that's all true that they need to
be
operational. During the eighties the Casino was going full swing, the
ferris wheel
was operational, people were utilizing all these things. It may not
have been
considered the 'success' that pretty much homogenized Red Bank is
becoming
but it was bustling. Families were there, people there for the music
at the Stone
Pony and other clubs, people in all those little motels... It was only
after that Johnny
Cash-Michael Jackson-Vaccaro obstruction was allowed to linger there,
that people
seemed to desert the place. Sometimes it feels the schemes are so
large that they
don't allow for reality or a natural growth to happen. I think people
here have
lots of good, thoughtful ideas - but some have fairly set ideas of
what they think
will work that comes from a model that, yes, may succeed but ultimately
changes the character of what drew you there in the first place. That
is something
to be wary of, in my opinion.
Cathryn.
p.s. Also, there are so many men speaking on this forum. Other than
Maureen, are
there any women involved? (Sorry fellow females if I've missed your
postings.)
On Feb 9, 2006, at 6:37 AM, AsburyPark@yahoogroups.com wrote:
>
> Message: 22
> Date: Wed, 08 Feb 2006 23:06:39 -0500
> From: Lighty <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Subject: Re: Re: Cookman ave biz - coming soon - Greetings from Asbury
> Park
>
>> "…I believe that if you restore the Casino, pavillions and
>> CH/Paramount, that AP will be 90% back"
>>
>> I second it. How often must we say it?
>>
>> It's the key to all that Asbury was, all the positive memories and
>> good times and remains the image and branding of its future.
>>
>> For all the good and hard work, money spent and time, sweat and tears,
>> nothing captures Asbury Park better than that cheap silly post card
>> "Greetings from Asbury Park".
>
>
> I think the problem is that there really are two camps of people along
> the
> Jersey Shore these days. On one hand you have tons of people moving
> into
> the area that just want a simple town to live in without the tourist
> attractions (even Belmar didn't put up much of a fight to save the
> nationally televised AVP volleyball tournament) and on the other hand
> you
> have people who believe Asbury Park can and should be so much more. To
> those people, it is the oceanfront and buildings like Convention Hall
> which
> make the town unique. Any town can have a bustling downtown, but few
> can
> have a bustling oceanfront, boardwalk, major venues and an exciting
> downtown. The combination of all of those things could make Asbury
> Park a
> brilliant city. Without everything clicking, the town will always be
> a step
> away from completion in my opinion.
>
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